I Am Lucario
by lupyne
Summary: Along with an Absol and Eevee, a wild Lucario pursues his hobby of human-watching, studying the behaviours of people and Pokémon in the city while trying to prevent a predicted disaster from destroying his home. Ch 17 coming soon-ish!
1. Existence Part 1

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon.

It's going to be a long story, but I hope you'll read and review!

I strongly recommend adjusting the line spacing via the set of options above, as some of the paragraphs tend to get long.

**May 28 2009 edit**: Fixed the tense.

**Important Notice: **I use a ':' for segment breaks. Thus, if you don't see segment breaks – or if there seems to be weird formatting errors – it means that the site has changed their formatting rules again. Please notify me should such an event occur, so I can fix it. Thanks.

This story uses **British English**, so you'll see words spelt liked 'colour', 'analyse' and 'licence' (noun) instead of 'color', 'analyze' and 'license'.

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A solitary egg stood by a hill in Silver Forest, gently resting on a small patch of grass. No one knew how it got there. Few humans ever passed by that area, so the chances of it being abandoned by a trainer were remotely slim. The Pokémon living in the area did not notice any parent Pokémon leaving their egg behind either. Thus, its origin was widely speculated, but there were hardly any plausible theories as to where the egg came from. Some would even suggest the egg appeared out of thin air.

Wherever the egg came from, no one wanted anything to do with it. And so it lay there, all alone.

An egg left out in the open without any guardian was not entirely an odd occurrence. In some cases, the parents came back for their lost offspring. Those were the fortunate ones, what with the child being reunited with its parents.

Other eggs were found by humans. If they were lucky, they would go to a home with a compassionate human partner. If not, they would be the subject of cruelty and ridicule when they finally come into the world.

Some eggs, unfortunately, never hatch at all. And then there were those eggs that hatched all on its own. The newborn Pokémon were therefore left to fend for themselves against the harshness of nature as well as any hostile predators.

Such was the fate of the Pokémon in this particular egg.

It began with a small crack on the top of the egg. There was no one around, or they might gather to witness the birth of a Pokémon. There was another crack, and this time a blue fist emerged from the front of the egg. The egg began to shake violently; the creature within struggling to get out. This in turn caused the egg to topple sideways, rolling down the hill. It only stopped after the egg bumped into a tree, the impact shattering the egg completely and freeing the creature within.

The Pokémon rubbed his head with his paws. He felt dizzy and sore all over, but that no longer mattered to him after he opened his crimson eyes for the first time. Excitement washed over him. Everything was so beautiful! The light, the trees, the grass, the ground… It felt really great to finally escape the confinements of his tiny egg.

Despite his interest in the surrounding area, the first thing he did was to examine himself. Two blue paws. A small little tail. Two black feet. No injuries, despite tumbling down the way he did. Yep, he was a happy and ordinary Riolu.

He turned around and looked at the tree that helped him attain his freedom. Unable to resist himself, he lunged forward and hugged the tree. He couldn't help it. He was just so jubilant that simply sitting still would not do. After letting go of the tree, Riolu ran around the little field, running his paws over the grass and flowers growing around while laughing to himself. He examined everything; smelling the flowers until he sneezed, diving into bushes and even digging holes in the ground.

After doing so, he plopped down on a patch of grass and stared at the sky. The world seemed like one giant playground, Riolu mused. When a few minutes had gone by, a different emotion began to fill the little Riolu. He was getting lonely.

Where was everyone? He wanted someone to pet him and to cuddle him, showering him with love. He wanted to be fussed over. Why wasn't anyone in sight? Did nobody want him?

Riolu got up and rushed back to where he hatched and examined the fragments of egg shell on the ground. It didn't take him long to deduce that he fell from the nearby hill. Filled with excitement once more, Riolu grabbed just one small blue fragment and ran up the hill. _They must be waiting for me up there!_

Seeing no one atop the hill, he continued to wander. Hours soon passed, and Riolu was still trekking through the forest. His cries and pleas for his loved ones went unanswered. All of his hope and enthusiasm were slowly fading away. There were a couple of Pokémon up and about, but Riolu knew it wasn't them whom he was looking for. As the sun disappeared from view and light turned to darkness, Riolu experienced yet another new emotion: fear.

Tired and hungry, Riolu sat down besides a large tree. He looked up at the moon, which—despite fascinating him—did nothing to lift his spirits. It was evident that whoever he was looking for did not wait for him. Still, tomorrow comes another day. Hope began to form in the Riolu's mind again, though the enthusiasm was no longer there. Riolu then fell asleep shortly after, all the while clutching onto his egg fragment with the hope that someone out there did care.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter One: Existence (Part One)**

"_We'll continue hanging on to those dreams, for the simple reason that we exist."_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

The days passed by fairly quickly, and before Riolu knew it, he was already a few months old. The time he spent surviving on his own had toughened him up physically and mentally, and like all little Pokémon, he grew up quite fast.

He never did find his parents, but he had learned how to live on his own. In the day he would forage for food. He would then separate everything he found into small rations which he would consume whenever needed. At night, he would find a safe spot to sleep on. At the same time, he continued on his little journey with no particular destination in mind. It was a good little routine which he stuck to most of the time. He only hated when it rained. Not only was it hard to do anything when it poured; there never was a perfect shelter for him to hide in.

By this time, Riolu had learnt how to communicate with other Pokémon. Despite all the different Pokémon having dissimilar forms of speech, it was easy to understand one another. It was almost as if everyone was using the same universal language. Not that Riolu met many different Pokémon, but so far, those he met had mostly been friendly.

Another communication skill that Riolu found handy was his ability to somehow know how others were feeling at the moment. If he concentrated really hard, he could detect faint pulses emitting from whoever he was talking to. This skill enabled him to converse with others tactfully based on their emotions. He also believed that he could send out his own emotions for others to feel, but unfortunately, there just wasn't many Pokémon for him to try it out on.

The very first Pokémon he met was a Shinx. It was just a few days after he hatched from his egg. The Shinx cautiously asked who he was, preparing to defend herself if necessary. Riolu did not answer. Instead, he ran and hid behind a bush, only poking out his head a little to stare at the stranger. It was a rather comical sight. The Shinx seemed to correctly deduce that he was a newborn. After pushing an apple towards him, the Shinx left with two words that Riolu would go on to remember for the days to come: "Good luck." He never did see that Shinx again.

After that, he had met several Cherubi, a Combee, a Buneary and even a Staraptor which Riolu did not dare approach. Perhaps the most memorable stranger was an Ariados. Despite being afraid of the Ariados initially, Riolu worked up enough courage to ask for some web so that he could wear his egg fragment instead of carrying it all the time. The Ariados was only too happy to do so, giving some web-string to the extremely grateful Riolu.

He eventually got over his shyness after each encounter, and soon began to chat happily with any Pokémon he met. The subject was usually about the other party, since there wasn't much to say about himself. However, he was satisfied just listening to others.

At times, he would ask about the world in general. He was told of cities and humans, and how Pokémon can be captured by humans using a Poké Ball. The idea horrified Riolu to no end, and he was determined to avoid any humans should he ever see one. When he voiced this out to a Loudred, the Loudred laughed loudly and advised Riolu to stay away from Ferrous City, in which many humans reside.

This only made Riolu curious. Loudred talked about buildings which reached for the sky as well as tar and rocks that covered the ground. He talked about vehicles which tore across the street, exhaling black smoke. It sounded like a dangerous place, but Riolu was amazed. He always thought the world was an endless ocean of trees and mountains.

Riolu then decided. He had to see it.

He was not going to put himself in risk of getting captured though. There was another way for him to see the city without entering it. All he had to do was find a nice vantage point, and he already had one in mind.

Silver Forest was a place with many mountains and hills, though they were mostly small. Even the tallest mountain seemed like it could be scaled in a few hours. There was a moderately tall mountain in the general direction of Ferrous City, according to Loudred. That would be the perfect spot to view the city.

Riolu thanked Loudred and scooted off. The journey to the mountain's base was tedious and time-consuming, but Riolu was still brimming with energy when he reached his destination. If there was one thing he had learned about himself, it was the fact that he did not tire from arduous journeys easily.

This particular mountain had no name. The Pokémon living in the area merely referred to it as 'the mountain overlooking the city'. It was as Loudred described; it wasn't as tall as other mountains that Riolu had seen, but it wasn't that small either. The path leading up was quite steep, however. Riolu can't imagine why anyone would want to bother climbing it if it wasn't to get a clear view of the city.

It took a good half-hour for Riolu to finally reach the summit. The peak was quite a flat area save for the many pebbles and rocks scattered around. A giant rock wall was situated at the back end of the peak, with the top marked by a sort of horn which would clearly be the absolute highest point of the mountain. Though the mountain wasn't very tall, it was surprisingly wide. In fact, Riolu had never been in such an empty, wide and open space before.

Riolu found a nice spot on the edge of the peak which formed a sort of cliff and sat on it, his legs hanging down. The view was magnificent. The world below was a huge sea of green. The trees of Silver Forest stretched out far and wide; Riolu did not even know the place was this big.

And further ahead, where the vast sea of green seemed to stop, Riolu saw Ferrous City. Tall structures protruded from the ground, all seemingly different from one another despite some similarities in structure. Unfortunately, that was all Riolu could see. If he wanted to explore more, he would have to venture once more to the outer edges of Silver Forest, though the risk of being spotted would be higher.

"I see you have come at last," a soft whimsical voice came from behind Riolu.

Riolu was terrified. The shock almost made him fall forward, but he stopped himself in time. He turned around and saw a tall bird-like Pokémon staring at him intently. It had white wings which were held in front of its green body. Riolu could see strange markings on the stranger's body, which seemed to form a terrifying face.

Riolu dashed past the bird Pokémon and hid behind a giant boulder, which obscured him completely. He then stuck his head out from the side and stared at the stranger. Though he was not very shy anymore, the shock of seeing another Pokémon up here made him revert back to his cowardly mentality.

Xatu turned towards the vista which Riolu was looking at earlier. The sun was starting to set, bathing the vicinity with a bright orange hue. "You needn't be afraid of me. I am but a humble Xatu."

Sensing nothing hostile about Xatu, Riolu slowly got out from his hiding place. Xatu was still staring straight ahead, away from Riolu. A quick attempt at reading Xatu's emotions revealed nothing, much to Riolu's surprise. It was the first time his ability had failed him. Perhaps Xatu's mind was empty at the moment.

Riolu sidled over and sat next to where Xatu was standing. Whereas Xatu was gazing into the distance, Riolu's eyes remained fixed on the stranger. Both stayed that way for some time, with Xatu seemingly not knowing that the blue Pokémon was seating next to him.

"Where do you plan to go after this?" Xatu suddenly asked, startling Riolu once more.

Riolu regained composure and thought for a moment, taking his eyes away from Xatu. "I… do not know…"

Xatu nodded as if he understood perfectly. "Perhaps we were never meant to know about certain things."

Riolu did not understand, but kept quiet.

"Though I wouldn't advise climbing down this mountain now, since it's getting late. It would be more prudent to spend the night up here, don't you think?" The Xatu turned to look at Riolu. The little Emanation Pokémon couldn't help but feel that Xatu was the one reading Riolu's mind and emotions.

"Maybe," Riolu answered. "What about you? Where will you be going?"

"I live here, and thus I will stay here tonight as well. Just like every other day."

"You live here?" Riolu asked incredulously. As far as he could tell, there wasn't anyone else up on the mountain. Riolu couldn't imagine why anyone would want to stay all alone at a desolate place.

"I have built a home here. Follow me."

Xatu walked slowly towards the huge rock wall at the other end of the summit. Riolu followed closely behind, trying to spot where Xatu's home was. The summit was quite barren.

Riolu watched keenly as Xatu stopped short in front of the rock wall. A weird aura began to envelope Xatu, who started to spread his wings. Riolu stared in amazement as a small portion of the rock wall began to separate smoothly and silently. Before long, a large opening had formed. The path ahead was dark, but Riolu could see that it spiraled downwards.

"Secret Power," Xatu explained, "can be used to reveal or conceal my home."

"Wow…"

"Come."

Once inside, the Xatu used Secret Power again to close the opening. Oddly enough, there was still light in the cave. Riolu could see that this was because of several openings of varying sizes on the walls. Light from the outside poured in through these holes, illuminating the cave with the evening's orange glow. Riolu ran up to one of these holes and peered outside.

"Amazing, isn't it? From the outside, it would be hard to spot these openings. They do provide good lighting in the day though. Plus, it lets fresh air in."

Riolu ran back to keep up with Xatu. "You live inside here?"

"A little further down. This cave is very extensive, even reaching the core of this mountain. My little room isn't that far in though."

Sure enough, the little path soon widened into a large open space. The room was significantly brighter than the path leading towards it due to bigger holes filling up one whole section of the wall.

Many strange-looking objects were placed all over the room. Having never seen any of them before, Riolu ran forward to take a closer look. He marveled at a lit candle, amazed at how a small stick can contain a baby flame on top of its head. He stared amusedly at a little bonsai plant, which Xatu revealed was only a replica. He joyously squished and hugged a little bolster that was propped against the wall.

"It's a really nice place you got here," Riolu commented, still hugging the bolster. "Just like a small little haven; a perfect little sanctuary… and the décor's great too!"

"I'm glad you like it. You are free to stay here as long as you like."

"What are all these stuff anyway?"

"They are but mere treasures I have collected over the years. Many of them are items from humans."

"Humans! Wow."

Xatu walked over to where the openings on the walls were and motioned to two big stacks of hay. "These haystacks serve as makeshift beds. You may sleep here if you want."

"Thank you!"

Riolu placed the bolster where he found it and ran over to a haystack. He plopped down onto it and was awed by how comfortable it felt. The hay was incredibly soft and surprisingly cooling. Since the haystack was situated near the holes on the wall, Riolu could feel the outside wind blowing in. It was the first time he ever had a proper place to sleep. He turned to Xatu.

"Xatu? Why are you being so kind to me?"

Xatu looked at Riolu and remained quiet for a while. "… Because I care."

**:::::::::::::::::::**

Riolu woke up, feeling completely revitalised. The cave was basked in the morning light now, greatly illuminating the place. Xatu was already up and about, staring out into the morning scenery. Riolu couldn't help but wonder if Xatu spent the whole night awake.

"Good morning!" Riolu greeted cheerfully.

Xatu did not stir; his eyes still transfixed on the vista in front of him.

"Xatu, sir?"

Xatu turned to look at Riolu. "… Oh, you're awake. Good morning."

"I had the best night's sleep ever! Thank you!"

"You are most welcome. Like I said, you may continue living here indefinitely if you wish to."

"Oh, no, sir… I don't want to trouble you. I will be leaving today. However, I am very grateful to you, and if I could ever do anything to repay your kindness…" Riolu said with his head bowed, "I would do my best."

Xatu waved off Riolu's offer. "You needn't worry about it. You are no trouble at all. In fact, I appreciate the company."

Riolu grinned. "You're very kind, sir. But I wish to explore the area more. Maybe someday, when I'm stronger and braver, I will even head out to Ferrous City and find out what humans are. I'm sure I'll come and visit you again though."

Xatu nodded. He then motioned to a large crate with the tip of his wing. "At the very least, you should have something to eat before you set off. The box contains food from the forest as well as from the city."

"From the city? Food?" Riolu exclaimed excitedly, running over to the crate. The crate was brimming with various odd items. Riolu grabbed a packet of biscuits and stared at the packaging.

"It feels funny," Riolu commented, squishing the plastic wrapping. "It makes a funny sound too. Are you sure this is edible?"

"You have to open it first." Xatu took the packet and ripped it open, handing back the package to Riolu.

The blue Pokémon stared at the exposed biscuits. "This is the edible part?"

"Yes. Try it. It's called a biscuit. There are many variations of it."

"Okay!"

Everything about the biscuit was strange, yet intriguing at the same time. Riolu was used to eating soft berries when he was in the forest, but the biscuit was surprisingly hard for something so small. Chewing it seemed to produce some sort of sound, and for a minute, Riolu was munching on the biscuit just to hear the crunching noises.

The taste was something else as well. The cream filling was sweet, though not as sweet as some of the berries he had eaten before. Still, it was a very pleasant taste.

"Do humans eat this all the time?"

"Some do, though they eat all sorts of other things as well. You like it?"

Riolu nodded, examining the uneaten bit of his biscuit. He couldn't help but wonder what other foodstuffs the humans had created.

"Well, there are plenty more items here," Xatu said, rummaging through the crate once more. "You can bring them with you in case you get hungry."

"Ah… I don't think that's necessary, sir! Really, I'm fine. It's yours anyhow, and I won't be able to carry it all with me anyway."

"If you insist then…" Xatu stopped searching in the crate and stared at Riolu instead.

Riolu took another biscuit and began eating it. After a while though, he realised Xatu was still gazing at him. Although he was used to Xatu's habit of staring into space, having Xatu watch him like that made him uneasy. "Um… Xatu, sir?"

Xatu did not response.

"Sir?"

"… You'll be fine," Xatu said in a low whisper. "Yes, you will do all right."

Riolu was perplexed. Xatu must have seen the confusion on Riolu's face, for he quickly added, "I mean, you will be fine out there, alone… surviving."

Xatu sighed as Riolu continued staring at him blankly. "Riolu… there are many roads in our lives, and it is up to us which road we should take. Even if we end up in the same general area, our precise location will still be different. Thus, we never know what exactly lies in the future. There are many possible outcomes, but which is the true one?"

If anything, all this talk only made Riolu feel more bewildered.

"I believe that no matter what road you should choose, you will be fine for the next few months."

"The next… next few months?" _Only for the next few months?_

"I would advise you not to think about it too much. I've been spouting nonsense again. You're still young," Xatu said, patting Riolu with a wing. "Go out there and enjoy your life."

"Okay…"

**:::::::::::::::::::**

True to Xatu's words, Riolu faced no major problems in the following months. Life went on as it always did; exploring and foraging being a part of Riolu's daily routine. He had many more pleasant encounters with Pokémon, and some not-so-nice ones as well.

He even had his first taste of how terrifying a battle could be. The little spite was caused by a little moment of carelessness. Trudging down a path filled with leaves and twigs, Riolu stepped and tripped on what he thought was a fallen tree branch. Unfortunately, the 'branch' turned out to be a Seviper's tail, and it did not appreciate being trodden on.

Despite his pleas, Seviper attacked. Riolu managed to escape with a few cuts and bruises which he got from being slashed by his opponent's bladed tail. Although he only suffered from minor physical injuries, Riolu was emotionally scarred. He vowed to toughen up, which led to him adding a new training regimen to his daily routine.

When there was nothing else to do, Riolu would head to the outskirts of Ferrous City and hide among the bushes and trees. Human-gazing became a hobby of his. Funny creatures the humans were; they seemingly come in all shapes and sizes, each one of them scurrying around in their everyday activities. Many Pokémon live in the city as well, though Riolu never came into contact with any of them. He never dared to set foot into the city itself. Instead, he contented himself by gazing silently as the humans rush by.

When night fell, Riolu would scamper off and find a place to sleep. Night was perhaps his most hated time of the day. It was dark, and he could not do much. Few people were up and about at night, making human-gazing a boring activity. Even the Pokémon in Silver Forest tend to settle down when the sun sets. Those who were active at night, however, mostly seemed cold and unapproachable.

Night also brought about feelings of loneliness in Riolu. He noticed that many Pokémon lived together, whether they are part of a pack or a family. They would do everything as a group in the morning, and then turn in together at night. In contrast, Riolu did everything alone.

He always pondered where his parents were, or _who_ they were, for that matter. He had seen many young Pokémon living happily with their parents; being fussed about and pampered, being utterly cared for. He always ended up feeling jealous, wishing that he had been as lucky as them to be loved.

Perhaps his parents were looking for him, Riolu thought happily. Perhaps they were searching frantically all over the place. He wondered if his parents knew about him hatching. What if they were still searching for an egg? What if they found the remains of the eggshell out there in the hill where he hatched? At least he still had something that connected him to that egg…

With these thoughts in mind, Riolu frequently ended up sleeping while clutching onto the eggshell fragment that was hanging around his neck, hoping that one day, he would be able to use it in order to prove his existence to his parents.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

The turning point in Riolu's life took place when he stumbled into a group of fighting-type rogues consisting of a Machoke, a Primeape and a Medicham. Hearing some sort of commotion coming from a clearing ahead, Riolu's curiosity led him to investigate. It turned out that a poor, defenseless Bidoof was being beaten up by the three Pokémon. Riolu made the critical mistake of letting out a gasp, alerting everyone to his presence.

All eyes turned to him, including Bidoof's. The rogues were clearly surprised by the intrusion, and Bidoof seized the opportunity to escape. The Machoke yelled out in anger as Bidoof scampered away, but made no attempt at chasing his prey. Instead, he glowered at Riolu.

It took all of Riolu's courage just to remain standing.

"You just lost us our victim, little buddy!" the Primeape growled. The three Pokémon advanced towards Riolu, who was too frightened to move. "How do you plan to make up for that?"

Riolu did not answer; or rather, he couldn't. Before he knew it, his body was shaking involuntarily.

"The little guy's quivering!" Machoke chortled. The other two joined in the laughter, but Machoke held up a hand to silence them. He walked up to Riolu and bent down so he was at Riolu's height. "Listen up, kid. This is our territory now. Passers-by will have to pay a mandatory fee just to walk by."

"I… I think I'll just go the other way then," stammered Riolu. He hated how soft his voice came out. It was a clear sign of weakness which Machoke seemed to take advantage of immediately.

"It's too late for that. You helped that Bidoof escape. You intruded on our turf. For that, you _pay _the price. So, what have you got there?" Machoke's eyes narrowed down to the necklace Riolu was wearing.

Seeing this, Riolu instinctively clutched the eggshell fragment, obscuring it from his adversaries' view. "It's nothing important."

"If it's nothing important, why are you holding onto it, boy?" the Medicham voiced out.

"It's not something you would want!" Riolu said loudly, his voice rising to a rather high-pitched tone. "It's just an eggshell!"

"Hmm… an eggshell… attached to some webbing from an Ariados? That's good handiwork." Machoke rose to his full height again and folded his massive arms. "All right, it's decided then. You give us the necklace; we give you your freedom."

"N-no! It's my eggshell!" Riolu pleaded, clutching onto the eggshell a little harder. "I need it! Without it, my parents… my parents wouldn't know…"

"Aw, look, he's starting to cry," Primeape commented as Riolu wiped away the tears that were starting to form.

Machoke frowned. "Tears aren't going to help, kid. Make a decision now!"

Riolu looked up at the Machoke, then at the other two standing behind him. Without hesitation, he turned heel and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He didn't get far; a Focus Blast from Medicham hit him from the back, sending him flying forward and crashing facedown onto the ground.

His adversaries ran up to him and began attacking, just as they did to Bidoof a while ago. Throughout the beating, Riolu held onto the eggshell fragment, still determined not to let anyone take it from him. Just when he was slipping away from consciousness, the beating stopped. Puzzled by the sudden display of mercy, Riolu slowly opened his eyes only to discover that there was someone else with them.

It was Xatu, clutching onto something. He couldn't see what was going on; his vision was still bleary. From what he could tell though, Xatu seemed to have engaged the rogues in a conversation.

"… on a helpless Pokémon; have you no shame?" Riolu heard Xatu say in his usual soft voice, though there were traces of anger in it.

"Well, give us something in exchange for the life of this runt, then!" said Machoke, eyeing the object that Xatu was holding. Riolu strained his eyes harder and saw that it was an item from Xatu's collection, though exactly what it was he didn't know.

"That's what I'm here for." Xatu tossed the object into Machoke's face and walked over to Riolu. Machoke grunted and turned the item around in his hand, probably evaluating its worth. Riolu finally got a clear view of the object: a large golden bangle.

"Hey, hey, I believe this is a sort of jewelry! It's a valuable item for humans," Primeape commented.

Machoke looked impressed. He held up the bangle and motioned to Xatu, "Not bad. We accept. Just remember though, the payment's good for today only. If we see that kid again, he'd better get ready something else for us."

Xatu, who was tending to Riolu, turned back and faced the trio in anger. "You'd better not lay another finger on him!"

"Oh, really?" Machoke chuckled. "Who is he to you anyway?"

"He's my son, and I'm not going to let him suffer under the likes of you!"

Xatu's response was met with bursts of laughter. Riolu looked up at Xatu in surprise. The psychic Pokémon was still glaring at the three rogues, a steely glint in his eye. For the first time, he could read Xatu's emotions: a little twinge of regret mixed with the strengthened resolve a parent would have when protecting their child. The feelings emitting from Xatu were very faint, but strong enough to be picked up. However, Xatu's emotions did not concern him as much as what he just heard Xatu say.

"Your _son_?" Machoke guffawed, looking from Riolu to Xatu. "I can totally see the resemblance! Well, kid, you better be thankful your 'pop' is around to save your hide. We will leave you together for some… er, _family time_. May we meet again!"

The three rogues turned and walked away, still laughing their heads off. Xatu stared after them, even though they had disappeared into the distance.

"It wasn't supposed to be this way," Xatu said, sighing softly. His eyes were still fixed onto the distant trees. "I did not anticipate this."

"Xatu, sir…" Riolu said, trying to get up on his feet. He groaned as his legs gave way and he fell onto the ground again. The fall broke Xatu out of his trance, and Riolu felt himself being supported by Xatu's wings.

"You need rest. Can you walk?"

Riolu nodded, attempting to stand again with Xatu's help. After a few seconds of wobbling around, he managed to stand up straight. With the support of Xatu, Riolu took a few small steps to gauge the extent of his injury. Despite the sharp pain he felt in his legs, they were strong enough to support him as he continued walking at a slow pace with Xatu.

After he was convinced that his legs were not going to give way anymore, Riolu looked up at Xatu and asked the question that had plagued him ever since Xatu's outburst. "You are not really my father, are you?"

Xatu continued to look ahead, avoiding Riolu's eyes. "No. I am not."

Riolu was unfazed. The answer did not really surprise him. Instead, he asked the next question with higher hopes: "Then do you know my parents?"

"… No. I do not."

"So… what you said to that Machoke…" Riolu began, but he was unable to finish the sentence. He could hear the disappointment in his own voice. Riolu looked down sadly at his own feet. It was understandable if Xatu had fibbed to save him, but at that time, Machoke was already willing to let him off. Why tell the unnecessary lie then?

"Do you believe in predictions, Riolu?" Xatu asked, his eyes still set on the road in front.

"No," Riolu answered despite not fully understanding what Xatu meant. "But I don't see why it matters what I believe anyway."

"Perhaps a fighting Pokémon like you place no faith in predictions, but it is very different for a psychic Pokémon," Xatu said. "I have been living by myself all these years, but I was never really alone. Often, I find myself living in my visions."

"Visions?"

"Of the past; and the future. I frequent the future more often though. No use dwelling in the past."

Riolu shook his head. "I'm really sorry, but I do not understand."

"I can see into the future and the past."

The little blue Pokémon paused in his tracks, unsure of what he just heard. "Really?"

"The details are often sketchy, and my visions of the future don't always come to pass, but yes. I knew you before I even met you, because in every future vision of me that I saw, you were there."

"I'm with you? In the future?" Riolu asked quizzically. He began walking again; they were nearing the mountain in which Xatu resided.

"Yes. As I said, my visions are never fully accurate. However, I find myself living in those fantasies everyday."

"Wait… if you can see the past…" Riolu said, his ears perking up in excitement.

Xatu shook his head. "The only thing I can see in your past was the day you hatched." Noting the saddened look in Riolu's face, he added, "I'm sorry."

"No, don't be."

"Incidentally, you were almost discovered by a trainer that day. If you had lingered around in that area a little longer, you could have been caught."

Riolu did not reply. Instead, he continued looking forlornly at the ground.

"Would you prefer to live with a human, Riolu? You might find happiness. Your human partner could train you up to be big and strong; raise you with care and love."

"I don't know. I have not studied them long enough to come to a conclusion about their species."

"If you think you would be happy with a human, you should go try and find a nice one. Many would be glad to take you in, I'm sure. Your kind is very rare. A good person, however, will not judge you based on what you are."

"But if I stay with a human, I won't be with you, as you predicted," Riolu said pointedly.

"Riolu," Xatu said, half-exasperatedly, "you are not at all obliged to live your life according to my visions! What matters now is your happiness! I've told you before; the roads we choose will lead us to different places. Don't let anyone else choose for you the path to take."

"I don't know… I just don't know…" Riolu said, frustration growing within him. He felt like he was trapped in a little box without any chance of escaping its confinements. Already upset that he had no home or family, he was content to find solace by living his own little life the way he wanted to. Yet, despite minding his own business, he was ganged up on by three complete strangers. The world suddenly seemed like a brutal, unfriendly place.

"I'm sorry if I have upset you with my ramblings," Xatu said in his soothing voice once more. His words made Riolu wonder if he, Riolu, had accidentally broadcasted his feelings to Xatu. "Please don't think about what I've said anymore. You need rest."

"Xatu… I hope you don't mind me asking, but… why did you say that I'm your son?"

For the second time that day, Riolu managed to detect Xatu's emotions. This time, it was uneasiness.

"Oh, look. We're here at the base of the mountain," Xatu said calmly. "Do you think you're strong enough to climb up?"

Riolu shook his head, slightly annoyed at having his question ignored. "It's okay, I can just rest here for the day."

"That won't do." Xatu looked up at the mountain and thought for a moment. "I should be able to get you up there… but my wings aren't as strong as they used to be… hmm…"

"You're going to carry me?"

"No. I'm going to fly you up there."

"What?" Riolu gasped, alarmed. "_Fly_? Oh no, Xatu sir, I don't think—"

Before Riolu could protest, he was hoisted up onto Xatu's back. After making sure that Riolu was completely secured, Xatu lifted off from the ground with surprising swiftness. Riolu screamed in fright as the both of them soared higher into the atmosphere.

Within minutes, they had flown halfway up the mountain. Riolu wrapped his arms around Xatu's neck, mortally afraid of falling. He couldn't help but look down, even though doing so elevated his fears. As the ground grew further away, Riolu's imagination went to overdrive: he pictured himself falling and crashing into the ground in various ways; all of them fatal.

After a while, when they were nearing the summit, Xatu began to pant heavily. Fatigue had started to set in, and Xatu began dropping a little in altitude. Noticing this, Riolu hurriedly called out to Xatu.

"It's okay, I can walk from here. You can put me down now," he suggested, partly wanting to get his feet on solid ground again.

"Really? We're almost there. I can make it."

"So can I, if I walk. I've rested enough on your back anyway."

"… If you say so…" Xatu glided over to the rocky path and landed. Riolu got off his back eagerly. In contrast, Xatu looked reluctant to cut short his flight despite being exhausted.

The two began their slow hike up the rest of the mountain with Xatu supporting Riolu once more.

"Once again, I'm indebted to you," Riolu said. "You saved me from a thrashing, giving up one of your prized possessions in the process. You helped me protect my treasure," he pointed at the eggshell, "and now you're letting me impose on you by staying at your home again."

"Nonsense. You're not imposing on me at all. As for that bangle, it was a fake, but those three need not know that. It's practically worthless."

"But it's still yours! You needn't waste your items on me…" Riolu said, getting frustrated again. Even though he was grateful to Xatu, he did not know why a stranger would be willing to give so much and shake it all off as if it were nothing. Then he remembered about Xatu's visions, as well as the unanswered question he had asked earlier.

"Xatu, why did you claim that I am your son?"

"We're here," Xatu said, pointing at the summit with the tip of his wing. Riolu looked ahead. They were still quite a distance away from the summit, and Riolu knew that Xatu only wanted to change the subject again. Annoyance began welling up inside Riolu, but he kept quiet.

Upon reaching the rock wall, Xatu slowly withdrew his wings from Riolu's shoulder. Like the last time, the rocks slid away swiftly as Xatu used Secret Power. Though he had seen Xatu using the move before, Riolu was once again impressed.

After navigating the winding path within the cave, they finally reached the cozy confinements' of Xatu's room. The mere sight of it placated Riolu's annoyance with Xatu. The place was unchanged from the last time he was here, but Riolu thought it was perfect. He can't help but feel calm and secure as he felt that familiar breeze blowing against him. It was then that he realised just how much he missed this place.

Xatu helped Riolu over to the bed of hay – the same one he slept on the last time. Riolu sat down and peered out through the holes on the wall while Xatu strolled over to the corner to get something.

Xatu came back soon after with some Oran berries. "Eat these. It should help regain some of your energy."

Riolu took one and began chewing it, remembering that he had not eaten for some time now. As he swallowed a portion of the fruit, he asked another question that he just thought of. "Xatu, sir, how did you know I was in danger? I mean, you showed up out of nowhere, and you even brought along the bangle which you gave to Machoke."

"Visions, remember? I was watching into the future, and I saw you getting beaten up. It was incredibly vivid, so I knew it would probably come true – and soon, too," Xatu said. "So I quickly grabbed an item and scoured the forest for you. It took me ages to find you, and I was really glad when I did."

"Wouldn't you know where I was if you saw me in your vision?"

"My visions are not always precise. What I saw was a small clearing. It could have been anywhere."

Xatu's black eyes met the red ones of Riolu, and Riolu knew it was the perfect time to attack Xatu with the unanswered question once more. There was no way Xatu could brush it off again. "Then… why did you say that I'm your son?"

Xatu turned his head away hurriedly, his eyes now transfixed on the scenery outside the cave.

"Xatu, sir, please…" Riolu pleaded, "I really want to know…"

Xatu shifted uncomfortably. "… It's a little embarrassing, actually."

True to his words, Riolu was detecting traces of shame emitting from Xatu.

Xatu continued, "But I guess you'll never rest until I tell you. The truth is… in the visions I see of you…" Xatu halted his speech. The embarrassment radiating from him was becoming more and more intense.

"Go on," Riolu encouraged.

"Well… you always referred to me... as—" at this point, Riolu could have sworn that Xatu's face was becoming red "—well, your father, actually. It would seem that your future self sees me as a father figure or something."

"Oh," Riolu said weakly. He did not know what to think. For some reason, he felt his own face growing hot. He looked down at his feet and began massaging them for the sake of doing something; his unfinished Oran berry lying besides him, completely forgotten.

Xatu began shifting nervously again. "I don't think you're supposed to know about that now. It's only the second time we've met. I was afraid a premature revelation would make you think I'm a just strange, crazy old Pokémon. That was why I avoided the question earlier." Xatu turned to face Riolu. "I'm sorry."

Riolu managed a small smile. "No, it's okay. I don't think of you as strange at all." He continued pounding on his feet, trying to think of something to say. "You have been very kind to me, after all. It's not surprising that I would think of you as a father."

Xatu seemed astonished. "Really?"

"Yes."

Xatu peered at Riolu's eyes once again. "I'm touched, Riolu." His gaze pierced Riolu, as though Xatu was staring deep into the little fighting Pokémon's soul. It was a few minutes before he spoke again, his tone soft and melancholic. "You have really changed a lot since the last time I saw you."

It was Riolu's turn to be surprised. "Is that so?"

Xatu sighed. "You have matured… perhaps too fast for your age. The first time I saw you, you were energetic and curious. Now, you seem very sombre and dismal."

Riolu gave a small chuckle. "I was just beaten up, remember?"

Xatu shook his head. "No, I can tell that you no longer live for fun. Instead, you live for survival. You seem to have lost that bright perspective of yours. What happened?"

Riolu blinked in surprise. He did not expect the question. "I guess… there's nothing to be happy about anymore? I dunno. I never really noticed any changes in me."

"Perhaps you need new horizons," Xatu began, "If you find a good human partner, he or she could bring you to new places; introduce you to new things. That might bring back some cheer into your life."

Riolu held out a paw to protest. "But I don't intend to live my life with a human."

Xatu looked bewildered.

The blue Pokémon stopped massaging his feet and stared straight into Xatu's dark eyes. "I mean, I would much prefer to stay here with you."

With that, Riolu could have sworn he saw Xatu's eyes becoming moist.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Author's Notes**

This first chapter was supposed to be longer, but it got too long for my liking. Therefore, I split this chapter into two. Part two will be posted some time around next week – it's already written.

The first letter of 'Pokémon' and species names is capitalized; sorry about that for those of who you prefer it in small letters. Rest assured I'll do my best to prevent confusion.

The story takes place somewhere in Sinnoh, by the way. Silver Forest and Ferrous City are places created by me for this story – they don't really exist in Sinnoh.


	2. Existence Part 2

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon

Thanks to everyone who read and/or reviewed!

**28 May 2009 Edit: **Fixed the tense, changed a few words. If you still see places where I've switched from past to present tense, please tell me!

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Many months passed by, and life went on as usual for Riolu. He still roamed around the forest, doing all the things he used to do. Occasionally, he would resume his hobby of human-watching. The main difference was that this time, at night, he had a home to go back to.

Though he still wished to meet his parents, he no longer pined for them like he used to. Living with Xatu turned out to be far more wonderful than he ever dreamt it would be, and it kept his mind off his deepest desire. At last, he had found someone to turn to; to confide in; to relate with. Though it felt weird the first few times, he had even begun to call Xatu his father. Riolu had to admit that each day seemed so much brighter now, and that he could finally face each day with enthusiasm.

Though Xatu never joined Riolu in his many escapades, he taught Riolu many things. For starters, he taught Riolu how to read and write footprint runes.

"This," Xatu had said, pulling out a flat object, "is paper. I have several brushes as well as many bottles of ink. You can use the brush and ink to write down on this paper."

Xatu then proceeded to scribble down various symbols on the paper.

"But these are footprints of Pokémon!" Riolu had commented when he saw what Xatu wrote.

"I know, but when used correctly, they can mean something. I can teach you how to read and write them."

Riolu was eager to learn. Arguably the most difficult part for him was holding the brush. It was tough for him, especially with paws. However, Riolu was determined. If Xatu could do it with his wings, why couldn't Riolu? In the end, he managed to hold the brush with both paws. He was still determined to learn the art of grasping it with one paw though.

Within months, Riolu was able to read out messages written in footprint runes. Xatu would constantly spring a test by showing Riolu a long sequence of footprints, and Riolu had to attempt at deciphering the message. After successfully decoding hundreds of messages, Riolu started trying his hands at writing them. This proved to be of little challenge, as writing the symbols was not as hard as understanding them.

Over time, he began to question the use of this skill should they run out of ink and paper. When he voiced this concern to Xatu, Xatu brought him to a deeper part of the cave and showed him a stack of boxes. He was surprised to find that all the boxes contained more ink and paper.

"But where did you get all these from? There must be several dozens of crates here!"

Xatu shrugged. "I know some humans. They give me gifts, and I accept them."

Riolu learnt that many of the items in Xatu's abode were either presents from humans or objects that had been discarded. Apparently, Xatu had close contacts in the human world. Why Xatu no longer ventured out into the city Riolu never knew. Xatu seemed very secretive around the subject.

There were several objects that seemed to be from the Pokémon universe as well. These items could usually be distinguished easily from man-made objects because of their mystifying nature; they all appeared to be extremely old, as if they were relics from ancient times. Xatu must have travelled a lot when he was younger. That would surely account for his wisdom.

Besides footprint runes, Xatu occasionally watched as Riolu trained himself for combat. Having been roughed up by Machoke and his gang, Riolu resolved to train harder than ever in order to defend himself should the need arise. Xatu frequently gave advice about Riolu's capabilities and weaknesses. At times, Riolu thought that Xatu knew more about him than Riolu himself.

Riolu was also taught about aura—the essence of all creatures—and how he was sensitive to them. That would explain how he was able to sense as well as emanate emotions. According to Xatu, when Riolu evolves, he would be able to better control these waves, and even manipulate them. In addition, he could use aura as a weapon in battle. One such technique was known as Aura Sphere, and Riolu frequently spent hours trying to perform one. Since he had not evolved yet, he never succeeded. Still, it was good practice.

Evolution was a topic that interested Riolu to no end. He was excited at the prospect of changing forms, though he was not sure what his evolved form looked like. Xatu mentioned that in some of his future visions, he had seen Riolu in his evolved state. Xatu seemed pretty quiet about the subject though. Nonetheless, Riolu waited patiently for the day when he would evolve. With his evolution, he believed he would be brave and strong enough to venture into places he had never been to before.

Though he had travelled quite far and wide, he knew there were many areas in Silver Forest that remained unexplored. Once, he thought he heard the sound of water rushing by in the distance. Thinking that he may have found a new river, he rushed ahead only to discover the area was populated by many intimidating-looking water Pokémon. He was too timid to explore further.

Despite having several misadventures in the forest, Riolu loved the place deeply. He knew the world consisted of many areas separated by regions. However, he was satisfied with just exploring Silver Forest – and perhaps one day, Ferrous City.

On one evening, Riolu was practicing his Aura Sphere move at the mountain's summit. The place was his usual training spot; the view and atmosphere was perfect for him. After a while, Xatu walked over to the blue Pokémon.

He placed a wing on Riolu's shoulder. "Why not take a break, Riolu?"

Although surprised at Xatu's interruption, Riolu allowed himself to be led to the edge of the cliff – the same spot where he first met Xatu. He sat down with his legs dangling over the edge while Xatu remained standing.

Xatu gestured to the sea of trees surrounding the mountain. "How do you find this place?"

"I love it. It's my home."

"Would you love it even if the area is reduced to a barren wasteland?"

Riolu looked up at Xatu, feeling bewildered. Xatu was being all mysterious again. "I guess I would… but… I don't want this place to become a wasteland."

Xatu dropped his voice to a low whisper. "But should it ever happen… would you be willing to live here still? When all the trees here die away; when many of the inhabitants have moved on to find better horizons… would you still want to live in a place where nothing but memories remain?"

A sudden thought came to Riolu. He quickly stood up and squeezed Xatu's wing. "Father… is it… is it a vision? Did something happen here in the future?"

His question was met with silence. Xatu seemed to be trying to find the right words to say. At last, the psychic Pokémon confirmed Riolu's suspicions. "Nothing is certain, but the visions I have are definitely vivid…"

"What happened?"

"Can't really say… but it starts from the city. Pokémon and people are running out into the streets… there's fire… I can always see the fire… of course, it spreads to the forest as well. One thing leads to another… it's one big domino effect…"

"But… you said that your visions aren't always accurate!" Riolu said, hope in his voice. "Maybe it won't happen."

Xatu nodded. "That is true. The problem is that I have many visions of this. Like I said, they are very vivid, just like when I saw you getting attacked in the forest. The city will be in shambles while many portions of this forest will waste away."

Riolu thought hard. "Couldn't the water Pokémon help?"

"Of course they could – and they will. However, it will take ages to finally gain control of the situation. By then, the damage is done. It will take years to rebuild the city. How many more years will it take to fix the damages done to the forest? Plus, the humans' priority will obviously be on the city, their home, instead of the forest."

"Isn't there a way to prevent this?" Riolu asked anxiously. He was starting to panic; already in his mind he was picturing the event occurring.

"Prevent, no. But to help; to minimize the damages; it's definitely possible, and I have seen you try." Xatu began to speak faster, as if he was trying to get it off his chest. "That is the most important thing, Riolu: _I have seen you try_."

Riolu tilted his head, confused. He tried to think of something to say, but no words came.

"It is a very dangerous task, Riolu. Perhaps it would be better if you just stay away from it all."

"Do you see me trying in all your visions?"

"Yes."

"Then I will."

Xatu huffed exasperatedly. "Riolu, I already told you that you need not live your life according to my visions! Don't you think it would be more prudent to just keep safe, and then if you really want, help rebuild the forest once the whole thing is over?"

"It wouldn't be the same, would it? I have lived here all my life; I don't want my home to go up in flames."

Xatu lowered his head and stared at the blue Pokémon sternly. "I don't want you to go up in flames either."

Riolu was taken aback. "I went up in flames in your visions?"

"No… but you very well might! I still think it's better for you to find a suitable human partner and go travel around the world."

"No way," Riolu said, shaking his head obstinately. "If there's something I can do to minimize the damages, then I will try. So… did you see me succeed or not?"

The question stumped Xatu. Based on the way Xatu was averting his eyes from Riolu's piercing gaze, however, Riolu knew the answer would not be good.

"To be honest, I've seen both happening. You have to understand, Riolu… I don't want anything to happen to you."

Riolu gave a fake smile and said reassuringly, "I'll be careful. I'll be all right." Despite his words, Riolu was not confident at all. He was secretly frightened by everything that Xatu revealed.

Then, a sudden thought came to him. "What about you? Did you see yourself in the visions?"

Xatu hesitated. "… No… I didn't see myself at all."

"Oh."

"I know you said you will do all you can to help, but I want you to think about it carefully. There's still time, after all."

Xatu's words reminded Riolu of another question. "Speaking of time, when does all this happen anyway?"

Xatu shrugged. "I am not sure. The only thing I know is that it occurs during the night."

"And the cause of all this?"

"I haven't a clue. Besides, I have seen so many versions of this vision that I don't even know how exactly everything will play out."

Xatu pulled Riolu closer and embraced him. "I'm so sorry that I'm telling you all this. You have already suffered enough, and yet, here I am, telling you of future troubles."

Riolu returned the hug, wrapping his arms around Xatu's torso. "Please don't be. I'm glad you told me. At least I'll be ready when the time comes. "

The two released their grips.

Xatu spoke first. "It's going to be night soon. Go back in the cave and rest. Tomorrow is a very special day."

"Really?" Riolu asked, surprised. He could not think of anything special about the next day. "Why?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow. Go on then, get back into the cave," Xatu said, gesturing towards the gap in the wall of rocks. "I'll join you shortly after."

Riolu walked towards the cave, glancing back at Xatu a few times. He was puzzled as to why Xatu did not follow him in. However, Xatu paid no heed to Riolu's confused stares. Instead, he just turned and faced the sunset.

He was still thinking about everything that Riolu said. The fighting Pokémon's determination was to be admired, but it still troubled him. Sighing, he took his eyes off the sunset in the horizon and stared at Ferrous City.

"Poor Lucario…"

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Two: Existence (Part Two)**

"_Break the barriers dividing fantasy and reality; define our very existence."_

**::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

The morning sunbeam crept through the gaps in the wall as it always did, extending its warmth to the cave. A small ray fell upon Riolu's eyelids like a shining blanket; nature's idea of a friendly wake-up call for the little Emanation Pokémon. After sitting up and rubbing his eyes, he saw Xatu in a corner. Apparently, he was searching for something inside a crate.

"Good morning," Riolu greeted sleepily. It always took a few minutes after waking up for him to shake off his grogginess.

Xatu turned around, holding a large box in his wings. It was a beautiful, brown box with engravings all over it. There were little handles on the sides of the box as well as a smaller one on the top.

"Ah, you're awake. Good. I have lots of things planned for today." Xatu placed the box on top of a rock and continued rummaging the crate. After a while, he pulled out what seemed to be a huge stack of paper with squares and numbers printed on it.

"Come here, Riolu."

Riolu complied, slowly walking over to where Xatu stood. He was still feeling tired, but his interest was sparked when he saw Xatu digging out his treasures.

Xatu held out the paper stack. "This is known as a calendar. Humans use this to keep track of the date. Each box and number represents a day. This box over here," Xatu pointed at a box circled with black ink, "is today. When each day goes by, we move on to the next box. Do you understand so far?"

"Yes, I think."

"We use a different calendar each year, but I've got plenty more of these for the future years. Anyway, today is a special day."

Xatu was talking at a rapid pace that it almost made Riolu breathless just listening to him.

"It is your birthday today."

Riolu blinked in surprise. "My birthday?"

"I had a vision of the time you hatched. It was very vivid; and my past visions are usually more accurate. I think I've told you before that a trainer soon stumbled into that area. On the trainer's Pokétch, I saw the date and time."

"Pokétch?" Riolu questioned, tilting his head.

"A little device used by trainers," Xatu explained. "Anyway… I think I can trust that trainer to have the date right… so that means you're a year older now, Riolu. Happy birthday."

"Er… thanks," Riolu said, utterly confused. Deep down, he was not sure what was so special about birthdays. "Are birthdays good or bad?"

Xatu laughed softly. "Younger Pokémon usually look forward to their birthdays. You'll find that it is mainly Pokémon living with humans that celebrate their birthdays, but I don't see why you shouldn't celebrate yours. All you have to do is to remember this date—" he pointed at the calendar "—and celebrate your birthday every year when it reaches that date."

Riolu nodded.

Xatu walked over to the brown box he held earlier. "It is customary to give a present to someone celebrating his birthday. So, I'm giving this box to you." He handed the box to Riolu.

"For me?" Riolu said, in wonder. He took the box and ran his paws through the engravings. The box felt very sturdy and surprisingly cooling. Now that he was holding it in his paws, he could see the letters 'RIO' engraved onto the lid. However, he did not understand it as he could not read human writing.

"It is a very old box, but I've never used it. It's incredibly durable; I got it in my travels a long time ago."

"It's beautiful," Riolu said. "But it's yours; I can't accept it."

"Nonsense! It's a gift for you. You will have better use for it than me anyway. You see, this isn't just an ordinary box." Xatu opened the lid of the box. "You have learnt how to emanate your own aura, yes? I want you to close your eyes and focus. Then, try pouring some of your aura to this box."

"But why?"

"Try it first. You'll see."

Riolu looked down at the open box. There didn't seem to be anything special inside. He closed his eyes and began to call out his inner aura, a technique he sometimes practiced in his training sessions. He could feel it building up in his body, the pressure mounting in his chest. He tried to let some of the aura flow out, but he suddenly found that he couldn't. Panic began to fill his mind as the pressure continued to increase. Suddenly, like a river bursting through a dam, the aura poured out with tremendous force, knocking Riolu to the ground.

The box flew out of Riolu's paws and landed on the floor. Xatu rushed over and helped Riolu get back to his feet.

"Are you okay?"

Riolu nodded, rubbing his head. He instinctively reached out for the eggshell necklace hanging around his neck to check if it was fine. To his relief, it was still in one piece.

"You need more practice in controlling your aura. Remember that it is fatal to transmit your entire aura to something or someone else."

"Yeah, I know." Riolu looked over to the box. To his surprise, it was giving out a blue glow. "What happened to the box? Did I… did I spoil it?"

Xatu turned around to look at the box. "No, it's perfectly intact. In fact, you've succeeded, despite the little accident." He walked over and picked up the box. All of a sudden, the open lid shut down all by itself. "The box is now imbued with your aura. Therefore, only you can open it." Xatu gave the box to Riolu.

Riolu held the box gingerly, amazed at what Xatu told him. He pushed open the lid, and as expected, it opened. The box was no longer glowing, but Riolu could feel his own aura encompassing the box.

"There may be people as well as Pokémon that have near-identical aura, but everyone's aura is unique. That box will respond only to you, and no one else."

Riolu ran forward and hugged Xatu. "Thank you!"

"There's absolutely no need to thank me."

Riolu put the box to good use immediately. He took off the eggshell necklace hanging around his neck and placed it inside the box. He thought it was the safest place to keep one of his most beloved treasures. It was much safer than hanging it around his neck, anyway.

After staring at the necklace inside the open box, Riolu gently pushed the lid down. With the box still in his arms, he looked up at Xatu. "Are you sure it's okay to give me something as special as this?"

"Of course it's okay. This box is pretty much made for you; it even has your name on it," Xatu said, gesturing at the letters 'RIO'.

"Really?" Riolu said, surprised. He stared at the letters, but could make neither heads nor tails of it.

"It's human writing. I'll fill you in on it later. Anyway, you'll have a lot of use for the box in the future." Xatu walked over back to his crate of items and dug out another box; a smaller one this time. He opened it and withdrew a round, silvery object. He handed it to Riolu, who put his box down and took the circular object curiously.

"What is this?" Riolu asked, examining the item. It was thin and firm.

"I want you to hold it close to your forehead and concentrate."

Though he found the instruction strange, Riolu held the object closer to his head and closed his eyes. There was a small flash, and Riolu felt as though something was washing into him. He hastily opened his eyes to find that the object had faded into a dull gray colour.

"That is an item known as a Technical Machine – TM, for short," Xatu explained, putting the empty box away. "There are many different types. Pokémon use this to learn new moves. The one you used has enabled you to learn Secret Power."

Riolu gasped. "Secret Power? Isn't that —?"

"The 'key' to this cave, yes," Xatu said, nodding. "You're now able to leave and enter this place by yourself, Riolu…"

"But… but I don't think I know how to perform that move…"

"You already know how; that's the purpose of the TM. It might take some practice, I guess – a poorly done Secret Power can be disastrous: the rocks here might crumble. It's really easy to get used to though, and today, I will help you master this technique."

Riolu was touched. It was one thing for Xatu to let him stay in his home; another to play the role of foster father and raise him, but to give him complete access to the cave? That showed how much trust that Xatu had for Riolu. "Father… thank you…"

"Think nothing of it." Xatu then pointed at the crate with the tip of his wing and said, "There are three more of this same TM inside the crate." Xatu paused, his face blank. He seemed to be thinking about something. Finally, he spoke again, "All of them will be used in the course of your life, Lu— er… Riolu."

Riolu stared at Xatu bewilderedly.

"Anyway, three of this TM is enough. They should be given to the close, trustworthy ones so that they can access this place too. Meanwhile…" Xatu browsed through the crate again. He pulled out a book and a quill pen and gave it to Riolu.

Riolu placed the used TM next to his aura-imbued box and took the next set of items, his eyes wide in surprise at the sheer number of items he was getting. "These are for me too?"

Xatu nodded. "A journal; and a pen, which is the same as a brush. You can record your memories in this book for future reference."

Riolu touched the book's cover; it was smooth and hard, bright red in colour. There was not any design on its front or back – save for a yellow line running down the spine – but Riolu thought it was beautiful. The white quill pen, on the other hand, was soft yet strong. It certainly felt different holding it compared to the brush he was used to.

"There's more," Xatu said, going back to the crate again.

Riolu stood there, amazed. Just how many gifts were there? Birthdays must be something really special, he thought.

Xatu took a folded red scarf and handed it over.

The scarf was incredibly soft and cooling. Riolu was reminded of the humans; he remembered seeing some of them wearing something similar before. He unfolded it and saw a small 'L' printed in black at the corner.

"The main reason I'm giving you this is for extra security whenever you're at the city. Wild Pokémon are usually sought after by humans, especially someone like you – you don't often see a Riolu here."

Xatu took the scarf from Riolu and began wrapping it around Riolu's neck. Riolu stood patiently, enjoying the feeling of the soft material brushing against his fur.

"This scarf might give humans the false impression that you already belong to someone else," Xatu said, tying a knot on the scarf at Riolu's nape. "I am positive that some trainers might still attempt to capture you though, so you should be constantly on your toes."

Xatu walked behind Riolu and examined the tails of the scarf, which were hanging downwards onto Riolu's back, slightly brushing against his tail. "I guess it's a bit too long for you," Xatu said, "but I'm sure it'll be a perfect fit when you grow up."

Xatu backed away, allowing Riolu to raise his paws and feel the accessory that was wrapped around him. It felt foreign at first – uncomfortable, even – but he got used to it quickly. Though cooling initially, his neck began to grow warm, but it was such a cozy feeling that Riolu did not mind. Feeling a little ticklish due to the loose ends brushing his back, Riolu tried to swing the slacks away, but to no avail.

Seeing this, Xatu said, "If you feel that it is too long, you can tie another knot at the end. Let me teach you how to tie one…"

Xatu removed the scarf from Riolu and held it in front of him. He showed Riolu the correct way of tying a knot, and Riolu learnt it in no time. It was not that hard, after all. Tying a knot when the scarf was wrapped around his neck, however, proved to be more difficult, but Riolu managed to get the hang of it after a few tries.

"Well, as I said, it will fit better when you're bigger," Xatu said, watching Riolu swing the loose ends away again. "And if it's too difficult to tie the knot, you can just wrap it round your neck and leave it – it probably won't fall. For now, I guess you can take it off. Go put away all your stuff; I'll prepare breakfast for the both of us."

Riolu bent down and gathered all his things; he placed the journal, quill pen, used TM and scarf into the brown box, closed the lid, and picked it up. He glanced around the room, searching for a nice spot to place his treasure. At last, he bounded happily towards his bed of hay and placed the box on a little rock next to it. He then skipped off to help Xatu prepare breakfast; Xatu was already getting the food from the food crate, so Riolu took two plastic cups and retrieved water from a barrel in the corner.

After breakfast (which Riolu noticed had more food than usual – perhaps because of his birthday), Xatu took Riolu outside of the cave to practice Secret Power. Riolu was afraid he would mess up and destroy the cave, but Xatu assured him something like that would never happen.

"After all, I'm here to prevent any accidents that might occur," Xatu had said.

To Riolu's delight, he succeeded in his first try. He found it as easy — if not easier, — as channeling the aura within himself. The rocks parted, albeit roughly, but moving aside all the same to form the path leading down towards the cave. He looked up at Xatu happily.

"Well done," Xatu said, beaming. "Now try closing the hole."

Riolu nodded and closed his eyes. He held out his paws again, and like the first time, they began glowing. Once again, the rocks shifted, this time closing the gap. Riolu anxiously opened his eyes and was glad to see that he had succeeded once more.

The training session continued for a while, with Riolu succeeding in every attempt. By the end of the lesson, Riolu was feeling content and happy. It was as Xatu had said; mastering Secret Power was an easy feat.

After deciding that Riolu had enough training, Xatu brought him back into the cave. He announced that he would teach Riolu yet another form of writing: alphabets, which were primarily used by humans.

"Remember the symbols on your box? Those are but three of twenty-six letters in the English alphabet. I will also teach you some other symbols like the question mark and exclamation mark, and numbers as well…" Xatu said. "If you are ever going to pursue that human-watching hobby of yours, having some knowledge on human writing would be useful."

"Is it like footprint runes?" Riolu asked curiously, plopping down onto his hay-bed.

"Yes… but much easier to remember, I believe. There are, after all, only fifty-two symbols for you to memorize. There are actually much more symbols than that if we were to include other languages… but I think we should settle on just the English alphabet for now."

"Okay," Riolu said cheerfully, excited at the prospect of being taught something new. He was always eager to learn.

By the end of the day, Riolu managed to learn all the capital letters of the English alphabet. It took him another day to learn the remaining twenty-six lowercase letters. Though he sometimes got mixed up on some of them, he was making great progress. Once he got the basics down, Xatu taught him several common English words, which Riolu found very interesting.

In fact, Xatu took the lessons to a whole new level when he began training Riolu to pronounce some of the words.

"In your evolved form, it would be easy to communicate with others using telepathy," Xatu said, "but you would have more things to say if you increased your vocabulary, wouldn't you?"

Riolu merely nodded as he stared at an extensive list of words that Xatu wrote down for him.

"It will do you good if you can say out the words too. That is why I want you to try."

Unfortunately, Riolu was not used to speaking in a different language. He had great difficulties pronouncing even the simpler words, often slurring them in the process. The problem persisted for days, and Riolu showed no signs of improving. Over time, Riolu became frustrated, making his attempts worse due to the fact that he was now injecting force into every syllable he uttered. Xatu, however, was kind and patient, insisting that Riolu take it easy.

Xatu's attitude only made Riolu resolve to improve his articulation, for he somehow felt that he was letting Xatu down. Perhaps Xatu realised the stress this was causing Riolu, for he held lessons at a lower frequency now, insisting instead that Riolu run about in the forest and enjoy himself. Despite this, Riolu would often sneak off the list of words and practice on his own without Xatu's supervision.

Though his speech skills were horrible, his vocabulary had improved greatly. Tucked away in a small crate, Riolu found some old and dusty books. Some of them were written in English, some in footprint runes, and some in symbols that Riolu did not recognize. With permission from Xatu, Riolu took out some of the tomes and read them, usually when he is rested atop his favourite spot: his hay-bed.

Riolu found these books interesting. Some told of old legends, some of great adventures. Quite a few were about the human world, telling of things like machines and computers. There were even pictures in several of the pages, which greatly added to the reading experience. He also found an English dictionary, which he perused whenever he stumbled upon a tough word.

This newfound hobby of his ate up a great deal of his time to the point where he no longer headed to the city as much as he used to. Sometimes, he even forewent his battle-training just so he could read. He could not help it; no matter how many times he told himself he would put a book down after a page, he kept on reading anyway.

As a result of excessive reading, Riolu developed an interest in writing as well. The journal that he received as a birthday present was still empty, but that was only because Riolu had nothing to write about. Instead, he contented himself by writing short words and sentences on sheets of paper as a way to improve his vocabulary. This in turn led to yet another hobby: drawing. He was no artist, but he had fun creating images on paper.

Above all though, Riolu always made sure the cave room was in tiptop shape. He felt indebted to Xatu for letting him stay there, and figured that a way of repaying Xatu would be to maintain the cave's condition. He did all sorts of things, from arranging the various items in the cave (though they were mostly arranged nicely already) to replenishing the food and water stock.

There were several crates containing food in the cave; some of them had human food while the rest were foraged from the forest. As Xatu no longer frequented the city and Riolu was too afraid to enter it, they had no chance of refilling the crate with human food. However, Riolu often ran down to the forest with a basket in hand to pick up any berries he could find.

Refilling the water supply was a harder task. Water was kept in several barrels in the room, and in order to refill them, Riolu had to carry the entire barrel down the mountain, fill it up, and lug it all the way back. He did not complain though; he even took it as a way of training his strength and speed. Indeed, the task became easier the more he did it.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

It was just an ordinary morning when Riolu was awoken by Xatu, who was shaking him gently. He sat up half-consciously, looking at Xatu blankly. The psychic Pokémon rarely interrupted his sleep; he usually woke up in the morning by himself.

Riolu opened his eyes wider and saw that Xatu was holding a basket in his wing.

"I'm sorry, Riolu, to have woken you up like this," he said with a hoarse voice. Xatu's voice had been like that for a few days now, apparently due to a sore throat he claimed he had.

Xatu continued, "But I need you to do something for me."

Riolu sprang up to his feet in an instant, his drowsiness completely shaken off. It was also rare for Xatu to ask for a favour, and Riolu intended to accomplish whatever it was that Xatu wanted done.

"I need you to go get some Pecha berries from the forest," Xatu said, giving the basket to Riolu.

Riolu took the basket, blinking in surprise. "Oh, is that it?" He was expecting more than that. "I'll head off to that tree at the foot of this mountain then."

Xatu shook his head, placing his wings on Riolu's shoulder. "Not today. You know that lake where you always go to for water? There is a small path there, by a large pine tree. You remember the pine tree, don't you?"

Riolu nodded.

"Good, good. Well, head down that path, and it'll soon split into three. Take the left one. After that, just continue walking until you reach a clearing with some Pecha trees. Fill the basket till it's full, and then come back. You got all that?"

The little blue Pokémon stared confusedly at Xatu for a moment, slowly repeating the directions in his mind. He then nodded again.

"That's good," Xatu said, pulling Riolu into a hug. Riolu returned the hug happily, not knowing why Xatu was being so affectionate.

They broke the hug after a while, though Xatu still had both wings on Riolu's shoulders, his eyes staring straight into Riolu's crimson ones.

Riolu detected some strong emotions radiating from Xatu; it was not just an individual feeling that he could easily identify, but instead, a strange mix of emotions. Whatever it was, it made Riolu feel all warm inside. He felt like he was in bliss, and yet, filled with a strange desire to cry.

"Off you go, then," Xatu said, breaking Riolu out of his brief trance.

Riolu nodded, and ran out of the cave with the basket hanging on his right paw. Before he left, he stole a glance at Xatu, still curious about the emotions his father was emanating. He saw Xatu staring after him wistfully.

Seeing this, Riolu gave a small wave. "I'll be back soon!"

As he ran down the mountain, he kept on repeating the directions to the Pecha trees to himself. "Lake… pine tree… left path… trees…" He began to wonder why Xatu would want berries from a different area. He was usually satisfied with the ones found at the mountain's base. Then there was that strange emotion he felt…

It was a rather quiet morning, Riolu thought as he reached the pine tree at the lake. He had yet to meet a single Pokémon out and about, and there was no one at the lake either, which was unusual because there were usually some Pokémon hanging around the vicinity. The lake water was calm, the gentle breeze ruffling Riolu's blue and black fur. Though there was not any sign that indicated impending danger, Riolu felt uneasy. His heart was beating doubly fast, as though he had just completed an especially rough training regimen.

Ignoring the unnerving feeling he was having, he made his way through the path. If Xatu had not told him about it, he might not have spotted the trail – it was quite well-hidden among the bushes. Judging by its appearance, not many others had travelled down it as well.

A short while later, as Xatu mentioned, the path branched out into three. He took the left one, making a mental note to explore the other paths another day. As he continued walking, he noticed that the trees in his surroundings were bigger and less widely spaced than in other parts of the forest. This in turn caused the area to become progressively darker the more he walked, with the sunlight barely reaching the ground.

The path soon ended in a circular clearing with a grove of Pecha trees surrounding it. Here, the sunlight illuminated the empty space clearly, where a solitary rock stood surrounded by soft, green grass. The wind was making the trees sway, their shadows dancing wildly on the grass. It was a sight to behold, and Riolu could not help but gape at the little sanctuary.

Though he very much wished to run around the area and play, he did not want to keep Xatu waiting. There would be time for fun in the future, but now, he had a job to do.

Riolu ran up to a Pecha tree and shook it violently, causing a few leaves to drop. He tried again, and successfully made several Pecha berries fall to the ground. He took one up and inspected it. It looked the same as any other Pecha berry… Riolu sank his teeth into the fruit. It was very sweet, but the taste was similar to other Pecha berries as well.

Perhaps Xatu merely wanted him to find this place, Riolu thought. He finished off the berry and went around collecting more, filling up the basket. He found out that there were some other berry trees and bushes in the area as well, but Xatu only mentioned that he wanted Pecha berries. Still, this place seemed like a good location for a picnic.

After the basket was filled to the brim, Riolu left the clearing, feeling happy. Come to think of it, he was not sure why exactly Xatu wanted a fresh batch of Pecha berries in the first place. If he remembered correctly, there was still an ample amount of the fruit back home. Perhaps Xatu had developed a craving for them. If that was the case, Riolu decided he would go pick berries more frequently – everyday, if needed be.

He had made it past the lake and was a short distance from the mountain when Riolu saw the first sign that indicated he was not alone in the forest that day: the bushes nearby began to rustle, and the voice of someone was drawing closer. Riolu paused in his tracks, curious as to who was lurking behind the bushes.

"– not many Pokémon today, I dunno why…"

To his horror, Riolu saw Machoke pushing his way through the bushes. Riolu tried to run away, but it was too late. Machoke had seen him, an evil grin forming on his lips. His lackeys, Primeape and Medicham, soon appeared in Machoke's trail. Their eyes widened when they saw Riolu, evidently surprised at their chance encounter.

Riolu began quivering, tightening his grip on the basket. His legs had once again turned weak.

"Well, if it isn't the little kid again… your daddy not with you today?" the Machoke said, his voice loud and booming.

Riolu did not answer. He was terrified; he could still remember the first time he had stumbled onto the gang – he definitely came off worse, and if not for Xatu, the outcome could have been much more disastrous.

"You know the deal. You walk to our turf, you pay the fee," Machoke continued, rubbing his fists menacingly.

"This isn't your turf!" Riolu said defiantly, his voice again taking on that high-pitched tone he hated so much.

Machoke laughed. "Contradicting me will get you nowhere." He bent down to Riolu's height and scanned the little Pokémon. "I see you are not wearing the necklace anymore," he said, frowning.

Deep down, Riolu was thanking the stars that he kept the eggshell necklace in the box instead of wearing it everywhere he went.

Machoke stood up to his full height again. "So I guess your payment is obvious then, isn't it?"

He raised a thick finger and gestured at the basket full of berries. Riolu instinctively tried to hide the basket behind him, but of course, it was no use.

"But… I… this is for my father…" Riolu said, his voice trailing off.

"Xatu definitely your father then?" Machoke said, laughing. "Then I'm sure he wouldn't mind sacrificing a little basket of food for his son's life, would he?" Machoke raised an outstretched arm. "Now give it to me!"

"NO!"

And Riolu turned behind and ran as fast as he could, just like in his first encounter with the three rogues. As he anticipated, Medicham sent a Focus Blast flying his direction. His training had finally paid off though, as he dodged to one side and continued running with the basket swinging wildly in his arms. Several berries dropped off to the ground, but Riolu kept on running.

He could hear Machoke yell out in rage; perhaps he had expected Riolu to go down after the Focus Blast. Riolu looked over his shoulder and saw that the three Pokémon were chasing after him. He pushed himself to run faster, trying not to think of what will happen should his pursuers manage to catch him.

Without realizing it, Riolu was running back down the path towards the lake again. When he finally reached the lakeside, he saw another Pokémon there, calmly drinking some water. It was an Absol, his white fur radiant in the sunlight.

Riolu did not stop to contemplate who the stranger was; instead, he ran up to the Absol and tugged at his white fur frantically. The Absol reeled around in surprise.

"Sir," Riolu said hurriedly, whimpering slightly. "Sir, please help me!"

"Excuse me?" the Absol said, looking down at Riolu. He was clearly astonished at having a stranger run up to him like that. "Who are you?"

Before Riolu could answer, his three pursuers had finally caught up with him. Absol glanced up at the gang, seemingly alarmed at the sight of more Pokémon.

Riolu ran behind Absol and cowered. He could see Machoke surveying Absol, as if determining whether the white Pokémon was a threat or not.

"An Absol, huh? Quite uncommon in these parts…" Medicham commented from behind Machoke.

"Excuse me… were you three chasing this poor Pokémon here?" Absol said uncertainly, gesturing at Riolu. "Because if you were… I'm gonna have to ask you to stop."

Machoke seemed amused at Absol's statement. "Why should we listen to you?"

"Don't you know who I am?" Absol said, raising his voice and lowering his head, watching the trio in an intimidating manner. "They call me the bringer of disaster. You wouldn't want to cross me."

Primeape snorted. "Bah! That's just rumours and speculations!"

"I agree," Machoke said, sneering. "And for that empty threat, Absol, you are going to have to pay us something as well, unless you want a thrashing!"

Absol looked stunned. Riolu could detect some fear in Absol. The white Pokémon turned his head towards Riolu and whispered, "Hey, little buddy, what do we do now?"

Riolu paused for a moment, and then tugged at Absol's paws. "We run!"

The Emanation Pokémon turned and ran again, becoming a tiny black and blue blur as he dashed round the lake's edge. His sudden fleeing caught everyone by surprise, including Absol, who followed suit only after Machoke and Primeape let out an angry yell.

Absol soon caught up with Riolu, running at his side. He was panting slightly.

"Wait a minute…" Absol began, looking at Riolu as he ran. "Why am I running with you? I don't even know you! I don't even know _them_!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Riolu said hurriedly, bending low as a Focus Blast flew above his head. "They were only after me… but you tried to help me – it's my fault, I roped you into this…"

"But – but – how long do you think we can keep running?"

At that moment, Absol screamed in pain as he was flung forward, crashing into the dirt. Riolu may have known Medicham's attacks well enough to dodge them, but Absol was clearly unaware of their adversaries' fighting style.

Riolu ran up to the fallen figure and shook him wildly with both paws, the basket lying upright on the ground.

"Absol, sir!"

Absol stirred and slowly got to his feet. Both he and Riolu turned to look at the trio, who had caught up to them. It was too late to run.

Primeape shook a fist at them. "Cowards! I hate people or Pokémon who run away without putting up a fight!" Primeape was breathing rather rapidly; but whether it was out of anger or fatigue due to chasing after them, Riolu did not know.

Machoke walked up to Riolu, his eyes flickering sinisterly. "If you'd just given me the basket, everything would have been fine, but you just had to run away! For that, we'll take the basket _and_ beat you guys up too!"

Without warning, Absol lunged forward at the unsuspecting Machoke, his paws outstretched as he tried to claw Machoke's face. For a split second, Absol's eyes met Riolu's, and Riolu saw Absol mouth the word "Run."

Primeape and Medicham gave an outcry of rage at Absol's surprise attack while Machoke held up his massive arms in front of his face to defend himself. Unfortunately for Absol, he only managed to give Machoke a few small cuts.

Machoke recovered quickly from the scratch attack, and immediately launched a barrage of punches at Absol. Riolu made to move towards Absol, but Primeape came out of nowhere and sent him backwards with a low kick.

Riolu fell to the ground just inches before the lake's edge. His torso was now sore due to the attack, but he gritted his teeth and looked up. Absol was now being attacked by both Machoke and Medicham, but Riolu was glad to see Absol fighting back fiercely.

The sight of Primeape running towards him snapped Riolu out of his thoughts. He tried to get back on his feet, but Primeape leapt up with both fists held high, clearly attempting to slam his fists onto Riolu. He quickly rolled out of the way – Primeape's fist hit the ground instead.

Primeape was furious at having his target elude him. He roared and charged at Riolu, who had finally managed to stand up again. The monkey Pokémon attempted a flying kick, but Riolu was ready for that attack. He quickly sidestepped, causing Primeape to fly by him.

Riolu was now behind Primeape, and he quickly seized this opportunity to get on the offensive. He rushed up and placed a paw on Primeape's white back. The Primeape tried to turn around, but he was too late: Riolu let out a burst of energy from his paw, blasting Primeape a short distance away.

Sadly, the Force Palm attack did not seem to faze Primeape at all. He was soon on his feet again, yelling gibberish in anger. Riolu gulped as his opponent began charging at him once more. Luckily for Riolu, Primeape seemed to have forgotten what happened to him just a few seconds ago. He attempted another flying kick, which Riolu promptly dodged again.

This time, Primeape flew towards the edge of the lake, only just managing to halt himself from falling into it. Riolu saw his chance, and came up from behind with a Quick Attack, slamming Primeape into the water. There was a resounding splash, and Primeape flailed his arms about as he tried to pull himself back onto land.

He eventually succeeded, the water dripping from his fur onto the grass. Despite the tense moment, Riolu could not help but give a small laugh when he saw Primeape attempt to shake off the water from his white fur. He immediately wished he hadn't though, as Primeape bellowed in anger afterwards.

Primeape hurtled yet again at Riolu, but began launching a series of consecutive punches and kicks instead. Riolu failed to dodge this time, and he felt himself stagger backwards with each blow that connected.

With his whole body searing in pain, Riolu soon felt his back bump against a tree. There was no more room behind for him to move, and there was no where else to run to either. Primeape was directly in front of him, and each punch and kick hurt even more now due to the attacks slamming his body against the tree.

The one-sided assault continued, and Riolu slowly felt himself slipping out of consciousness. He felt a rush of guilt for bringing Absol into this mess – the brave Pokémon had tried to protect him, even urging Riolu to run as he threw himself at Machoke. He did not know how Absol was faring, but he couldn't see how Absol would be able to fend off two Pokémon at the same time. And when he, Riolu, was finally defeated, Absol would be up against three…

Riolu's mind then strayed to Xatu… the Pokémon that took the role of his father… the one that oversaw his training sessions… the one that showed him happiness…

Perhaps the punches had addled his brain, or perhaps he was dying, but Riolu thought it was strange he would be thinking of all this right now, when he was being attacked. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if Xatu had seen this coming. Or maybe Xatu was seeing this right now, and would come rushing to his rescue again, sacrificing another of his priceless treasure in the process.

No, he mustn't let that happen again. Riolu couldn't bear the thought of Xatu giving in to the rogues. For a wild fleeting moment, he contemplated begging the trio for mercy; for them to spare both Riolu and Absol, and to just take the basket of Pecha berries. Then he remembered that Xatu was the one who requested the berries, and Riolu did not want to let Xatu down. Moreover, he refused to lose his pride.

If begging was not an option, then the only thing left to do was to grab the basket and run. Still, he had tried that earlier, and it did not work. In addition, he could not just leave Absol, especially not when the white Pokémon tried to save him.

Riolu was getting incredibly frustrated – partly due to his lack of available options, and partly because Primeape's attacks were making it hard for him to think. Gritting his teeth once more, Riolu opened his eyes to study his surroundings. However, he could not get a clear view of Absol or the fruit basket because Primeape was obscuring his field of vision. It was evident that if Riolu wanted to do anything, he would have to get past Primeape first.

The blue Pokémon began struggling with all his might, attempting to get through Primeape. Seeing this, Primeape held Riolu firmly against the tree using his right fist and continued punching using his left. Riolu flailed about again, but to no avail.

Feeling angry now, Riolu tried kicking Primeape, but he was not in a position where he could get a good shot in. If anything, Primeape was getting increasingly furious at Riolu's feeble attempts at attacking, and retaliated with fiercer punches.

Riolu felt his temper rise further as Primeape's fist continued moving like a machine, beating against his weak body. Primeape began to mix things up by throwing in a few thrusts and chops as well as attacking Riolu in the head. After a particularly heavy blow on his muzzle, Riolu snapped.

He did not know what he was doing; he held out both his paws and let energy flow into them. A bright light began to form, and he brought both his paws together. The beam merged, creating a long, thick staff that was shaped like a bone, seemingly made out of light.

It happened so quickly that Primeape seemed to not notice at first: he continued his onslaught with his left fist, attempting yet another punch. This time, however, Riolu thrust the bone staff forward, effectively shielding him from the blow. Primeape's eyes widened in surprise as his hand hit against the staff instead of flesh.

Even in his weakened state, Riolu seemed to have gained some newfound strength. With great force, he pushed the staff forward once more, this time toppling Primeape over.

Just like that, the tables had turned, and Riolu was now on the offensive. Primeape had lost all the momentum he built up, and was now trying his hardest to defend against the infuriated Emanation Pokémon.

As for Riolu, he felt like he was in a trance. His body was moving on its own with speed and strength he never knew he had. He swung the bone around wildly, relishing at the thuds it made as it hit his target. It was almost as if Riolu had never been attacked at all – in his wild frenzy, he felt no pain from the beatings he suffered from Primeape.

Not only was the bone great for attacking, it was great for defense as well: Riolu managed to block any punches or kicks that Primeape threw at him. Slowly, Primeape was inching backwards, just like Riolu had done earlier. After a few more steps, he was at the edge of the water again.

Riolu capitalized on this advantageous situation immediately by swinging his bone like a baseball bat, sending Primeape flying into the middle of the lake. For the second time that day, there was a resounding splash.

Unlike before though, Riolu was not laughing. A weird sensation was now spreading throughout his body. His heart was beating wildly and he was feeling numb. The bone staff flickered and vanished, and Riolu doubled over, panting heavily. His eyes widened in shock as he tried to come to terms with what was happening to him. It felt as if his aura was welling up within him, but surely his tiny body couldn't contain that much…

And then it happened. Riolu winced as he felt something thrust out from the top of both his paws, which were slowly turning black. At the same time, he found his arms growing longer and thicker, strength surging through them. It was now clear what had been pushing its way out of his paws: two silver spikes, sturdy and lethal, one on each paw.

At the same time, he was slowly getting taller; the ground now seemed so far away compared to before. Yellow-golden fur was sprouting on his back and torso, tufts of it forming around the neck. He felt a throbbing sensation in his upper body and winced again as yet another spike push out from the middle of his chest.

His short blue ears were stretching outwards, as was his muzzle. His once miniscule teeth enlarged, forming a magnificent set of dangerous fangs. His tail extended longer, hanging proudly from his rear.

Perhaps the biggest change of all was the addition of another set of aura receptors hanging from the back of his head. Like a sudden gust of wind, he could feel the aura of everyone around him; he could sense their emotions and pinpoint their location without even opening his eyes. It was like having a breath of fresh air after being suffocated for so long.

With his transformation complete and bursting with energy, the newly-evolved Lucario let out a roar to signify his presence.

It was as if everything had paused to watch him evolve. Even without looking, Lucario knew that all eyes, with the exception of Primeape's, were on him. Absol was staring at him in awe whilst Machoke looked on with — Lucario was pleased to see — slight trepidation.

By now, Primeape had gotten out of the water, cursing wildly and seemingly ready to continue the fight. He stopped short when he saw Lucario, the look of anger on his face replaced with one of surprise. He had been the only one to miss Riolu's evolution.

Lucario intuitively formed the bone staff again, ready to launch another Bone Rush attack. From a distance, however, Machoke seemed to be deep in thought, and soon, Lucario could hear a small voice in his head.

"_Fine… I'll give him the benefit of the doubt this time…"_

The voice belonged to Machoke, and yet, he had not spoken.

Machoke then gestured to his two companions and walked away from the scene. Medicham hesitated before following in his heels. Primeape seemed positively livid that he had to flee the battle, but ran after his gang anyway, swearing loudly. Absol was lying on the ground, staring after the trio with a bewildered expression on his face. The basket of berries stood safely near him, completely unharmed in the battle.

The staff in Lucario's paws vanished and he ran up to Absol.

"Absol, sir… are you all right?" Lucario asked, surprising himself slightly at the sound of his new, deeper voice. He hoisted Absol up from the ground, the white Pokémon staring at Lucario from head to toe with an amazed expression.

Lucario noticed that Absol's fur had gotten dirty from the fight – it was now mixed with dirt from the ground and some splotches of blood. As for he himself, he no longer felt the pain he got from Primeape's beatings. Perhaps the pain was overridden by his evolution.

"I'm fine… but… that was awesome!" Absol said excitedly, circling around Lucario to examine every inch of the newly-evolved Pokémon. "I've never seen anyone evolve before!"

"Um… have you never evolved?" Lucario asked, scratching his head. Even the simple act of scratching felt so different now that he was a Lucario; perhaps due to his larger paws.

"I was an Absol when I was born," Absol said, finally stopping in front of Lucario. "I don't think my kind evolves, ever."

"Oh," Lucario said. He briefly wondered if Absol was disappointed at this fact, but a quick emotion scan revealed that Absol did not mind. "Well, you were really great, handling two Pokémon at once… I am really sorry I got you into this mess…"

"Don't be! Don't be sorry at all!" Absol said cheerfully. "I'm really glad to have seen an evolution! I always wanted to see one before I die."

Lucario smiled sheepishly. He went over and picked up the basket, happy that it was still intact.

"I have never seen you around, actually," Lucario said. "Where do you stay?"

"I… I am a traveller…" Absol began. Lucario sensed uneasiness in Absol, and wondered if he was intruding too much in Absol's private affairs. "I used to live with a human, but that was only a temporary thing. I was not captured or anything."

"Well, I live up in a mountain," Lucario said, pointing to the general direction of his home.

Absol opened his mouth in surprise. "Ah! You mean that one near the city?"

"That's the one! You know that place?"

Absol nodded rapidly. "I was just walking around that area earlier. Everyone who saw me ran away, of course. I think everyone's still hiding somewhere. I was very surprised when you ran up to me; no one has ever asked me for help before."

Absol laughed half-heartedly, and Lucario stared in surprise.

"Why would anyone run from you?"

Absol stopped laughing. "Eh? You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?"

"Oh… you really don't know…" Absol said, looking disappointed. "If you did, you probably wouldn't have come to me either…"

At that moment, Lucario's eyes lit up. It was just like the time with Machoke, when Lucario could hear him when he wasn't even talking… and then it dawned on him. He had always been able to read emotions. Now it seems like he was able to read thoughts as well.

"What do you mean, you are a 'bringer of bad luck'?"

Absol gasped. "You… read my mind?" He looked a little appalled.

Lucario held up both paws defensively. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to – I can't really control it yet… I mean –"

"No, it's all right," Absol said, looking up at Lucario in wonder. "You're amazing, you know that?"

The white Pokémon sat down and sighed, his eyes facing downwards. "I guess it's no point hiding it from you then. I am Absol, the Disaster Pokémon. People and Pokémon alike are afraid of me, because according to them, I bring disaster everywhere I go."

Lucario laughed. "That's it?"

"Yes," Absol said, looking at Lucario as though he had gone crazy. "And I must say that you're the first one I've met who actually laughed after I introduce myself. Others usually back away."

"I don't believe you bring bad luck. You saved me!"

"I didn't do anything. In fact, you were the one who scared them off." He raised a paw and pointed straight at Lucario. "_You _saved me."

Lucario frowned. "The only thing I did was evolve, really. They ran off on their own accord."

"I'm not surprised," Absol said, shrugging. "You looked very scary, and cool at the same time. I would have run off too if I wasn't sure you were on my side."

"Well… not everyone is afraid of you – those three didn't care that you were the tragedy Pokémon or whatever you're known as."

"Yeah, well… the Pokémon that should be afraid, _aren't _afraid," Absol said, rolling his eyes. "Typical. Scare off my friends, lure in my enemies. I'm really glad you're not afraid of me though. Thanks. It really means a lot."

As though words alone weren't enough, Lucario felt a rush of gratitude emanating from Absol, making him embarrassed. He shook his head. "I should be the one thanking you."

Running out of things to say, the two remained silent for a while. Lucario then decided to observe his new physical appearance by looking at his reflection in the water. He slowly peered over the edge, slightly apprehensive at what he might see.

Many of his features were the same: he had kept his crimson eyes, and his face was pretty much the same save for the longer ears and muzzle. Of course, there was the addition of the spikes and yellow fur as well. Evolution was indeed a strange and wonderful thing.

He turned around to face Absol again. "I guess I should head home now. My father is waiting for these berries."

Absol nodded.

An idea came to Lucario. "I have yet to thank you properly though. Why not stop by my home now? You're injured – we can treat you up, and –"

Absol's face brightened. "You really don't have to thank me, but I would absolutely love to visit your home! Can I really?"

"Of course!"

"Thank you! But… er… is it okay if I come another time? There's something I need to do today, elsewhere."

Lucario cocked his head to one side, scratching his left ear. "Well, feel free to stop by anytime! It's right at the top of the mountain; you can't really see it from here, but I'm there most of the time."

"Okay!"

Lucario smiled; hope and joy were now radiating intensely from Absol. He briefly wondered if Absol was really that lonely and dejected.

"I'll be waiting! I'm sure my father would love to meet you."

"It's a deal then!" Absol said happily. "I'll be there one day. Thank you!"

"Right. I'll see you then."

Lucario gave a small wave of goodbye and bounded off towards home, the basket hanging on his paw. He tested out his new legs by dashing through the forest; it was amazing how much faster he was able to run now. His stamina seemed to have increased as well; he did not feel out of breath even after a long period of sprinting.

The hike up the mountain also took a lot less time than before. He had reached the summit within mere minutes. He ran up to where the cave's entrance was concealed and set the basket on the ground as he used Secret Power.

Once he was inside, he resealed the entrance and frisked happily towards the room in the cave. He was bursting to show Xatu that he had evolved, though knowing his father, he probably already knew beforehand. _In fact, _Lucario thought, _he probably asked me to pick Pecha berries today just so I could evolve._

"Father!" Lucario called out as he neared the room. "Father!"

Upon entering the space however, Lucario saw Xatu lying down on his hay bed, his eyes closed. The psychic Pokémon did not stir.

Lucario immediate piped down, walking over slowly to a rock and placing the basket there. It occurred to him that this was the first time he had ever seen Xatu sleeping, despite staying with him for so long.

He walked over to his own hay bed besides his father's and sat down, still staring at Xatu. Now that he was closer, he saw that Xatu was clutching onto a piece of parchment. It looked as though Xatu had been writing a letter before he fell asleep.

Xatu's wing was blocking most of the letter, but Lucario could make out a few words at the top. There, written neatly in footprint runes, were the words "Dear Lucario".

Curious, Lucario edged closer. Was the letter for him? The Aura Pokémon gently took the paper from Xatu's wing, careful not to disturb his slumber. He then began to read.

**:::::**

"_Dear Lucario,_

_Congratulations! I am very proud of you. The day has come where you have taken a big step into the rest of your life. Now especially, more than ever, I hope you remember everything I have taught you about aura. Know your strengths and limitations, and play them well. Learn to control it, for it can be a powerful tool; and a dangerous one as well._

_As you may have surmised, I had an ulterior motive for sending you out on an errand today. First and foremost, it was for you to evolve. Of course, there would probably be other ways for you to evolve, but this was one of the quickest._

_Secondly, I trust that you have met someone today. Absol will prove to be a wonderful friend, Lucario. He will help you, and you will help him. You have lived without a friend for so long; it's time you found one._

_Thirdly… I needed you to be away. There are times, Lucario, when we must let go of the things we hold dear. Lucario… please don't get upset… but I can no longer be with you."_

**:::::**

At this point, Lucario stopped reading. He looked up at Xatu in alarm, a sudden panic in his mind as the meaning of those words sank in. He glanced down at the letter again, rereading the last sentence to see if he had read it wrongly. There was no mistake. Lucario then tossed the letter aside and rushed to his father, anxiously shaking the motionless body.

"Father!" Lucario cried, trying to rouse Xatu. "_Father!_"

Despite his repeated yells; despite being shaken about wildly, Xatu did not awaken. Instead, his body remained as lifeless as ever, unperturbed by Lucario, seemingly at complete peace.

Unable to do anything more, Lucario dropped down to his knees and sobbed, burying his face in his paws. He had no choice but to accept the truth – Xatu had gone, and he could do nothing to bring him back.

With tears pouring out of his eyes, Lucario grasped Xatu's wing and held on tightly. Nothing else mattered anymore. The only one he ever had had left him. He had lived in solitude for a good portion of his life, but it would be hard to revert back to that now that he had found Xatu.

Lucario leaned closer and embraced Xatu, careful not to damage his father with the spike on his chest. Even now, he could feel bits of Xatu's aura floating about in the cave. The body itself contained little of the psychic Pokémon's aura; most of it having dissipated away. He tried to take it all in, knowing that this was his last chance to do so.

After a while, he remembered that there was more to Xatu's letter than what he read. Slowly, he broke the hug and reached out for the parchment. It had rolled itself up when Lucario tossed it away – he unrolled it gingerly and continued reading the letter; the last message Xatu left him.

**:::::**

"_I am touched, Lucario, that you are saddened at my passing. However, I must urge you not to be, for if I am not upset, why should you be?_

_It is something that I have seen coming, after all, and I have done everything I wanted to do before my time is up. _

_There are many things I want to say to you; some of which are in this letter, while the rest you will discover yourself in due course. _

_First and foremost, no matter what you may hear, no matter what you may think, I did not take you in just because I was told to by my visions – or anyone else, for that matter. You have brought much happiness to an old Pokémon's life, Lucario. I couldn't ask for more than to be with you, even if it was just for a short while._

_With that said, I shall now impart you a piece of advice: no matter how difficult the road ahead may seem, persevere. Learn to let loose a little; I have told you before that you are too matured for your age. You have been deprived of your childhood, and I hope that with friends like Absol, you will regain that lost bit of sunshine in your life. Be a kid! Don't act so serious all the time._

_Lastly, I shall hand over everything I own—from the cave right down to all the items in it—to you. You are free to do what you want with it. In addition, please check the crate under all those extra bottles of ink. As for my body, I hope you don't mind if I request that it be buried in the grove of Pecha trees you went earlier? That place holds some special memories, and I would be glad to have it as my final resting place._

_I guess this is it, then. I have reached the end of my road. I must thank you once again for accompanying me all this while. It is time for you to set out on _your_ own road – a path I want you to traverse without worries and regret. Fate is cruel sometimes, but you won't succumb if you keep on fighting it. _

_Farewell, Lucario."_

**:::::**

Lucario held on to the letter with trembling paws, careful not to let his tears dampen the parchment. With each reread, the fact that Xatu was dead became more and more real.

Not really aware of what he was doing, Lucario reached out for his aura-imbued box. Like a faithful pet greeting its owner, the lid popped open the moment he touched it. He brushed aside a few of the items in the box and, after rolling it up neatly, placed the letter in the space created.

The red journal caught his eye – Xatu had urged him to fill it with his memories, but Lucario had yet to write anything in it. Without a moment's hesitation, he took it out and began writing his first entry.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

_My first journal entry, and I am afraid it is a sad one. It was a day of beginnings and ends._

Lucario carried Xatu down the mountain slowly. The psychic Pokémon felt very light; Lucario did not know if it was because of his newly gained strength, or if Xatu had always been like that. He made sure to seal the cave's entrance before leaving. It was his intention to guard the place – Xatu's home – forever more.

_It was the day when I finally made the transition from a Riolu to a Lucario. I was happy… Happy that I had the strength to evolve. Happy that I had someone to guide me through my life._

The wind was strong that day, Lucario thought forlornly to himself. The red scarf on his neck was dancing along, its tails flapping energetically as the breeze blew against it. Xatu was right. It was a perfect fit now. 

_Fate was not so kind. My father was dead when I returned. My father, who has given so much to me, and never really gotten anything from me in return. I guess I shouldn't be upset, if he really didn't mind his departure. But it's still hard._

The directions to the grove were still fresh in his mind. He passed the lake by, where so much had happened earlier that day. It all seemed so long ago now. Several Pokémon were at the lakeside now, but Lucario paid them no heed.

_I have not forgotten what he said either, and I will never forget. Every bit of wisdom he passed on, I will remember them. And then there's his prediction regarding Ferrous City. I know he was worried when I said I'd do my best to help, but at the same time, I knew he was proud of me. I could detect it._

The trees in the grove swayed gently, its leaves rustling softly as though greeting an old friend… or was it their way of saying goodbye? He laid Xatu on the grass and pushed the rock aside. The dirt underneath was nice and soft – the perfect resting place for his father.

As he dug, he wondered why the place was so special to Xatu. Perhaps he would never find out. It was too late for questions.

_Therefore, I will be keeping an eye out for that day. Is my future predetermined then? That I do not know. I'm not sure to what extent I can curb the damages of the foreseen tragedy, but I shall try anyway._

Lucario slowly lowered Xatu's body into the hole that he had created. He looked into his father's face for the last time, squeezing the tip of his wing with his paw. At last, he covered the hole again with the dirt, looking away as he did so. He could not bear to look at Xatu's face any longer.

Once he was done, he placed the boulder back on top of where Xatu was buried, as if it was a plaque to signify the burial place of his father.

He took a step back, and then he bowed for what seemed like an eternity.

Then he ran.

_I have yet to meet another Lucario, but from what I gathered, they are supposed to be strong, brave and independent… agile; speedy, resilient masters of aura… _

Back at the cave, Lucario absent-mindedly lifted the crate of ink bottles away so that he could access the other crate beneath it. He always assumed it contained more bottles, but apparently, there was something Xatu wanted him to find.

He opened it lackadaisically, and his eyes widened in surprise. Whatever he expected, it wasn't this. The crate was filled with coins and paper money. Xatu's words rang through his mind again: "_I shall hand over everything I own to you._" Tears filled his eyes again as he closed the crate.

_I guess I'm none of those. I know I'm nothing special. But it doesn't matter._

It felt really strange to wake up all alone in the cave. He got by the next few days feeling empty, locking himself in the room. It wasn't until a week went by that he decided to finally get out and start exploring the city. If there was to be a disaster there, it would help to familiarize himself with the place. Trying not to think too much about the overwhelming sense of solitude that was filling the place, Lucario had a quick breakfast before heading out of the cave, making sure to seal the entrance.

_I have a mission in my life._

Lucario ran against the breeze towards the city. He was no longer a Riolu. He had the courage now to go forth into the unknown, and face whatever was waiting for him there.

_I am Lucario._

Viewing the city from its nearby cliffs, Lucario pondered which section of the place he should visit first. He did not have a specific plan in mind, but it mattered not. He would choose a location at random, and see where the roads take him. Closing his eyes, he placed a paw at the scarf around his neck, drawing courage from it.

_This is my story._

And then he was off.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

_Next time, on I Am Lucario…_

"_New buildings replaced the old, just as new memories are sure to wash away the past. And along with the past, he, too, was washed away…"_

Just so you know, a bulk of this story is made up of chapters that take place mainly in the city. Some of you will probably not like the way the story is heading, but it's been planned right from the start. I apologise in advance.

Next chapter, which had already been completed, will be submitted about two weeks later – around the first week of June.


	3. Do Memories Live Forever?

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon

Thanks to everyone who read and/or reviewed! Plus, I finally know where I keep going wrong with the tense (thanks again to those who helped), so hopefully you won't see those mistakes anymore. If you do, please tell me! On a side note, I've fixed the previous two chapters as well.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Though Lucario was being extremely alert, he felt that it was equally important to act natural. Today, he was walking the streets of Ferrous City not as a wild Pokémon, but as a Lucario belonging to a trainer whom did not exist. The red scarf wrapped around his neck would be the proof of this nonexistent relationship, though he was unsure if it would fool anyone.

He walked, perhaps a little too rigidly, down a sidewalk, all the while contemplating over how different it felt compared to walking in the forest or mountain. Two Bidoof ran by him and he stared after them – they seemed to be playing a game of chase. They were laughing and shouting, and if they did see Lucario, they showed no signs that suggested he did not belong.

Lucario thought of observing the pair's aura, but when he stopped to concentrate, they disappeared around a corner. The fighting Pokémon resumed walking at his slow pace again, but halted as a woman carrying a basket appeared from the same corner.

She was taller than him, and sported a pair of sunglasses as well as a brown headscarf. Lucario tensed up, but looked away so as to not draw attention to himself. Instead, he let his aura vision take over, the waves in the environment flowing by him like a gentle breeze.

The woman had no dominant feelings at that time; she was neither happy nor sad, nor was she worried or angry. Lucario gave a jolt as he realised that the woman had spotted him.

_What a weird Pokémon… what is he doing here?_

Lucario closed his eyes, ready to bat off any Poké Ball that might come his way, but none did. With one last glance at him, the lady turned to a smaller pathway at the side and walked up to a small, yellow square building. He stopped his aura vision and went back to using his eyes, turning round to look as the lady reached out for something in the basket.

She had pulled out a small ring of several silvery objects. _Keys_, Lucario thought, remembering that he had seen something similar in Xatu's books. The woman inserted one of the keys into a small hole at the door, and then swung it open. She slipped inside the building and closed the door, vanishing from sight.

It was then that he took the time to fully appreciate where he was: there were several houses not unlike the woman's, all standing side-by-side in a row. Many small paths connected the sidewalk that he was standing on to these buildings. On the other side, across the road, there was yet another row of similar houses. No doubt about it: he had somehow got himself into a residential area.

The morning sun had risen a little higher, and Lucario knew that more people would fill the streets soon, now that it wasn't so early. He wondered if everyone would just pass him by like the woman. What if they tried to capture him? One or two people might not be a problem, but he didn't think he could handle a whole crowd.

Brushing the thought aside, he continued his journey of no destination. He stopped at an intersection and thought of which direction to go before randomly deciding on following a flock of Starly flying overhead.

The path he chose seemed to lead him deeper into the city, for the buildings appeared to be getting bigger and taller, and there were more people up and about. Many vehicles were tearing across the streets, all of them big and intimidating, and a lot different from what Lucario had imagined them to be based on his readings. He steered clear by remaining on the sidewalk.

Unbeknown to him, he had reached the downtown district. Most of the men and women walking around were dressed smartly, and even the Pokémon around carried themselves in a refined manner.

He did not like the environment much. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry, including the Pokémon. He continued walking, trying to ignore some passers-by that were eyeing him curiously.

Everywhere around him were tall, grey buildings that looked as if they touched the sky. From where he was standing, he could not even see the top of these structures, and if he stared too long, he would get dizzy. Though he longed to enter one of these buildings to see its interior, he thought he would leave that for another time.

A little way in front of him stood a crowd of people and Pokémon alike, all apparently waiting for something in front of the road, where the cars were zooming by. Lucario sidled up to the group, trying to act inconspicuous. A few people turned to look at him, but none of them paid much attention except an old man, whom quickly turned away when Lucario gave him a questioning look.

Content that he had blended into the group, he looked ahead to see what they were waiting for. Were they waiting for the cars to stop so that they could pass the street? If so, they might be waiting for quite a while – the vehicles showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Even as he thought that, however, the light on a pole besides the street changed from green to red. All the vehicles slowed and came to a stop, and another light in the opposite street flickered green, showing a clear picture of a walking man. At once, everyone began walking across the road, in front of all the cars that seemed to have lain dormant.

Bewildered, Lucario followed the crowd, staring at the cars curiously as he did so. Why were the human-controlled monsters subdued by those flimsy-looking poles? He made a mental note to look it up in a book later. At the other side, the crowd dispersed, with everyone going separate ways. Everyone appeared to be hurrying again.

It was when he resumed wandering aimlessly that he saw her – a human who, like him, looked lost and overwhelmed by the largeness of the city. Even her outside appearance suggested that she did not belong to the rigid crowd that seemed to hang out in this area.

The girl was tall, wearing a flowing pink dress with a matching hat on top of her wavy brown hair. Lucario noticed a flower on the hat. She was wheeling along a large suitcase as she walked down the lane, staring at all the buildings.

He scanned her emotions, and discovered that she was swimming in a great mix of feelings: amusement, confusion, and a hint of sorrow.

He then decided. This girl had a story to tell, and Lucario would make sure that he hears it. He would take human-watching to the next level, and this girl would be his first subject.

The girl continued along, and Lucario followed, walking a short distance behind her.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Three: Do Memories Live Forever?**

"_Whatever will be, I know the wind blows on."_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

As the girl strolled along slowly, Lucario observed her curiously. She seemed to have no destination in mind, just like him. In addition, she was not in any hurry. She appeared to be walking away from the heart of the city though, but Lucario did not mind. Perhaps she was eager to escape from the hustle and bustle as well.

Soon, the both of them ended up at the city's outskirts. Silver Forest was visible now, and it never looked more inviting. Lucario thought about heading back home, but that would mean letting his target go.

Lucario let his mind wander as he followed the girl, and amidst his ponderings, he did not notice the girl coming to a stop. He came dangerously close to the human, but halted himself in time. Fortunately, she had not seen him in this moment of carelessness.

Intrigued, he followed her gaze and saw that she was staring at a small, brown building. It was larger than an average house, but came nowhere near to the skyscrapers downtown. A miniscule wooden sign was propped up besides its front entrance, which looked far more welcoming than the buildings in the heart of the city, despite its size and shabbiness.

Lucario strained his eyes to read what was written on the sign: 'Tomorrow Inn – Humans and Pokémon welcome'. Below that, there was a listing of prices for the various types of rooms available.

The girl sighed, and Lucario faced her once more. A sad smile formed on her lips as she walked through the little door, a small bell ringing when the door swung open. Knowing that this was not a private residence based from the sign, he followed suit.

The inn's interior boasted a wide array of potted plants, giving the place a calming effect. At the far end of the lobby was a set of stairs, and before it were some sofas along with a table that had several books on top. Near the entrance was a counter, where the girl was talking to a portly man with greying hair behind it.

Lucario walked past them and sat on the sofa – it was incredibly soft and comfortable, a whole lot different from the rocks he always sat on. The two humans did not notice him, apparently. He took a book randomly from the table and flipped it open, though he was concentrating instead on the conversation.

"… Julie Hawthorne?" the man enquired, peering up from a form that the girl had filled up.

"Yes, that's me," the girl said in a soft, silky voice. It was the first time Lucario had heard her speak.

"And what was your friend's name again?"

"Anderson. His family name is Anderson. He has a Shinx, though I'm sure it has evolved by now..."

The man thought for a moment. "Anderson… 'fraid I do not know anyone by that name."

The girl smiled and nodded. "That's okay. It's been a long time – I am probably chasing after shadows."

"Oh, don't say that," the man said, returning her smile with a broad grin, showing all of his teeth. "He's probably still around here, somewhere. All them residents in Sunset Way had to move when they turned the place to a mall –"

"Yes, I was shocked to see a giant shopping complex where his house used to be."

The man laughed. "Bet it was an unpleasant surprise. T'was an uproar when they announced that, you know. Many weren't happy about having to move."

"I'll say."

"So…" The man turned to a cupboard behind him and retrieved a key. He then took a small pamphlet from behind the counter and pushed it, along with the key, to the girl. "The key to your room; and a lil' brochure to fill you in on Ferrous City as it is now. You will be staying here for two nights, right? We're having a promotion now, so you get ten percent off."

Julie bent down to open her suitcase, presumably to take out her purse.

"No, that's okay. You can pay when you checkout. Checkout time's at noon, by the way."

"Thank you," Julie said, bowing her head slightly.

The innkeeper grinned again. "You're welcome. Well, I hope you find this friend of yours before you leave!"

"I do too. It would be a pity if we lost contact forever."

"Indeed… t'would be a pity indeed…" he said, looking round at the lobby. With a start, Lucario realised that the man had spotted him for the first time. Lucario quickly looked down at his magazine, though still keeping track on the humans by using his aura abilities.

"I'll be going to my room now then," Julie said.

"Wha— oh, of course, of course. Have a good stay," the innkeeper said absent-mindedly, his eyes locked onto Lucario. The blue Pokémon shifted nervously on his seat with his face hidden behind the magazine, fully aware that the innkeeper was still observing him.

Julie wheeled her suitcase over to the stairs. Seeing no other way to get the bag up, she began hoisting it up the steps one by one, clearly using a lot of effort in doing so. Lucario briefly pondered if he should go and help, but doing so would surely alert the girl to his presence in the future. It would be so much harder to shadow a wary subject.

He was therefore glad when the innkeeper rushed to her aid.

"Lemme help," he said, taking the suitcase from Julie's hands.

"Oh… thank you!"

And they both climbed up. Since they were now out of his visual perspective, Lucario had to fully rely on his aura vision now to see what was happening. At the top of the stairs, the innkeeper placed the bag back on the floor and wheeled it to Julie's room, which was evidently just one floor above the lobby, at the end of a small corridor.

Julie used the key to open the door and the innkeeper pushed the suitcase into a corner.

Lucario delved into Julie's mind in order to fully-view the room – a small space, though cozy nonetheless, filled with a bed, sofa, table and television. Near the entrance of the room was an attached bathroom. Besides the sofa was a window covered by large, frilly curtains which shielded the room from the morning sunrays.

The innkeeper turned to look at her. "Whaddya think?"

"Wonderful," she replied. It was not a lie – Lucario could see that she was used to large rooms and buildings in whatever city she was living in now. Though convenient, they were not as cozy as this. Ferrous City had seemed so strange and foreign when she arrived – she felt incredibly comforted to know that there was still a place in the city that was consistent with her fond memories.

"Good t'know. Well, I'll be downstairs if you need me."

The innkeeper left the room, leaving Julie alone. Sighing, she walked over to the window and pushed aside the curtains, allowing the sunlight to seep into the room. Her trip back to Ferrous City did not turn out as she had hoped. She knew there would be changes in the city, but it was like it had advanced a hundred years since she moved away.

New buildings replaced the old, just as new memories were sure to wash away the past. And along with the past, _he_, too, was washed away…

But she was not about to give up. There was still time, and there was still hope. Of that she was certain, though she —

"May I help you, good sir?"

The voice startled Lucario, and he looked around wildly only to find himself staring face-to-face with the innkeeper. He had been careless; he was too engrossed with Julie's thoughts that he had let go of his own surroundings.

The portly man peered down at the magazine in Lucario's paws, his eyebrows raised. A smile was forming on his lips. "Never thought a Pokémon would fancy a thing like that."

Lucario pulled his eyes away from the man and took a proper look, for the first time, at the book he was holding. It showed a few women holding up several products with words like 'make-up' and 'lipstick' written on the page. He was not sure what those were, but apparently, he was not supposed to be interested in them, for the innkeeper was sniggering now.

He tossed the magazine aside, feeling a little embarrassed. This innkeeper was the first human that spoke to him directly, and he was apparently being laughed at. He stood up hastily, and the innkeeper addressed him once more.

"Seriously though, is there something you need? Are you waiting for someone, or maybe you would like to rent a room for the night?"

Lucario looked into the man's brown eyes and took in his emotions. The man had good intentions after all, and was treating him like he would to any other customer. Lucario shook his head, gave a small bow, and ran out of the door, leaving the bemused innkeeper behind.

Once outside, Lucario decided to head home. He felt that he had done enough exploring for the day, and he was eager to leave the hubbub of the city behind and retreat to his sanctuary.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

It was already evening when Lucario reached the foot of the mountain. He had taken his time walking through the forest – only a few hours away from it and he had already missed its tranquility.

When he neared the summit though, he stopped on his tracks. He sensed a presence at the top, which was strange, since the place was usually deserted.

Once more, he closed his eyes and concentrated, taking in the surrounding's aura. It did not take long to identify the stranger: it was Absol.

Lucario started to run, bounding happily towards the top. It was so good to see Absol again; being in the crowded city had somehow made him feel lonelier, and now that Xatu had departed, there would be no one to keep him company. Besides, he still wanted to repay Absol for saving him.

The white Pokémon was lying down besides a large rock, a green bundle next to him. His eyes were closed and he was snoring slightly. Lucario wondered how long Absol had been waiting for him. In fact, he wondered what Absol must have thought when he hiked up all the way only to find a seemingly empty clearing instead of a home.

Though it may be impolite to interrupt his sleep, Lucario did not want to risk Absol waking up alone and leaving. With that in mind, he walked over and nudged Absol with his paw.

"Absol, sir…"

Absol stirred a little, shifting his position by rolling over to his side. Lucario gave another nudge, but Absol was not roused. An idea came to Lucario's head, and he grinned as he closed his eyes, focusing hard…

_WAKE UP!_

Absol's eyes snapped wide open and he looked around violently. He was taking in deep breaths, terrified out of his wits. When he saw Lucario, he quickly got up on his feet.

"Ah, it's you!"

"Nice to see you again, Absol-sir!" Lucario cried out, still grinning.

"You don't need to call me that; 'Absol' alone is fine." He glanced around at his surroundings. "So, er… you're living here, right? I was afraid I got the wrong mountain. It's a nice place, but I imagine it gets really cold at night."

"I guess it would be, if you sleep outside," Lucario replied, walking towards the concealed entrance of his home. "But not in the cave, though. It's just nice, I think."

"Cave?" Absol said, blinking in surprise. "I don't see any cave…"

"Watch."

He closed his eyes and felt the familiar wave of energy flowing in his body. The rocks began to shift aside, much to the amazement of Absol, who ran to Lucario's side as the cave revealed itself.

"Wow! Just… wow…" Absol said, baffled. He turned to Lucario, his eyes shining with excitement. "How did you do that?"

Lucario smiled. "Secret Power."

"Oh… okay, it's fine if you don't want to tell me, I –"

"No, no!" Lucario hastily interjected, "I mean, I used Secret Power; my father taught it to me."

"Oh," Absol said, looking sheepish. Then his eyes lit up again, as though he just remembered something. "Speaking of your father…" Absol ran to the green bundle that he left behind and picked it up with his mouth. He ran back and set the package besides Lucario. "I didn't come empty-handed. I got some berries for you and your father. I don't know what type you like, or if a Lucario fancies anything in particular, so I got different kinds."

"You really didn't have to…" Lucario said, pushing the bundle back to Absol.

Absol shook his head defiantly. "I insist." He then walked into the mouth of the cave and stopped, looking around in admiration. He turned to face Lucario. "Can I go in?"

"Of course."

"Well then, let's go!"

Lucario picked up the bag of berries and walked in. Absol was running about, examining the walls enthusiastically. He was particularly interested in the holes that provided light and ventilation to the cave.

"Were these holes naturally made or created by a Pokémon?"

"They…" Lucario began, but he realised that he did not know the answer. "I'm not sure, actually. They were there when I got here. They look natural though, don't you think?"

"Ah."

Before long, the cave widened into the small room that Lucario called his home. Absol's eyes widened when he saw all the items lying about, and like Lucario when he first came, ran forward to examine them.

"This is just too cool," Absol commented breathlessly. "I have never seen a wild Pokémon's home so… so beautiful." He walked up to the wall's openings by Lucario's bed and stared at the evening panorama. "Even a human's home couldn't compare to this."

Now Lucario remembered – Absol used to stay with a human.

"What does a human house look like from within?"

"Tons of stuff inside," Absol said, not taking his eyes away from the view. The wind was blowing into the cave now, gently rustling the fur on Absol's head. "Not too different from yours, though they have electricity and water and all that." He then turned away and looked straight at Lucario. "But the one I stayed in didn't have that great a view."

Absol glanced around the room in silence, and Lucario sensed a curiosity welling up within the white Pokémon.

"Your father not in?"

"My father's dead."

"Huh? What?" All of Absol's inquisitiveness had turned into shock. "But – but – wasn't he – I thought that day you said –"

Lucario knew Absol was referring to the day that they met – he had been picking Pecha berries for Xatu. "Yeah… he died on the day we bumped into each other. He sent me out for berries so that I wouldn't be there to see him go." Lucario was beginning to feel the pains of losing Xatu again.

Absol was incredulous. "He _knew _he was going to die?"

"My father can see the future."

"Can all Lucario do that?"

"He wasn't a Lucario – he was a Xatu."

The overload of information and surprise seemed to have stunned Absol into silence. He was staring at Lucario with his mouth agape, his mind buzzing. Lucario could not even try to see what Absol was thinking – it was like walking against a strong wind. When at last the 'wind' subsided, a melancholic wave began emitting from Absol.

"Lucario, I'm so sorry to hear that…"

"Please don't be," Lucario said with a sad smile. "Obviously I'm still upset, but… he told me not to be."

He paused. The ripples of sadness were still radiating from Absol, but there was something strange about them. Absol was sad for Lucario, true, but his sorrow extended further than just sympathy for the fighting Pokémon. A distant memory was stirring from within Absol's mind, and Lucario sensed that Absol had been through a similar situation himself.

"Um…" Absol said, breaking the silence. "I'm not sure if this is a good time for me to be here?"

"What?" Lucario was caught off-guard. "Oh, no, not at all. I would appreciate the company." He decided not to ask about Absol's memory. Instead, he motioned to the food crate.

"If you're hungry, help yourself to anything in that crate –" he then pointed at a barrel next to the wall "– or you can have some water from the barrel over there."

Absol ran up to the food crate, looking impressed. "Wow, you even have your own food and water supply!"

"Of course; I wouldn't want to hike down every time I want a snack. Though it wasn't me who came up with the idea; my father already had these when I came," Lucario added. He noticed that Absol looked apprehensive again now that the conversation had returned to Xatu, and decided to change the topic.

"So where are you staying now?"

"Nowhere in particular," Absol replied in a matter-of-fact tone as he browsed through the stash of food. "I have been roaming around the forest and sleeping under trees. Everywhere I go, Pokémon keep their distance."

"Well, you can stay here if you want."

The words came out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He felt himself flush, and seeing Absol's look of surprise, quickly added, "I mean, if you want to, of course. I wouldn't mind."

Absol shook his head. "But that's too much an offer… I really can't accept it. After all, I've never done anything for you, and here you are, offering me a place to stay."

"I did not do anything for my father either, but he took me in. Besides, you did come to my aid the other day."

"I already told you, I only served as a minor distraction that day. You did most of the work."

"No I did not," Lucario said, a little exasperated now. "I fought one, you fought two."

"You chased three away."

The two Pokémon stood silently for a moment, glaring at each other. Then they both broke into light-hearted laughter at the same time.

"I can't believe anyone would think you bring disasters," Lucario said.

"Well, you never know, eh?" Absol replied, chuckling. "Let me stay here and I'll bring you bad luck. I'll be the cursed ornament of your home."

"I suppose you could scare away intruders."

Absol began digging in the food pile again. "Intruders come here much?"

Lucario thought for a moment. "Never when I was here. I'm not sure about before though. I would assume they never knew about the cave's existence."

"Oh yes, I should think so too. I was very surprised when you did that… that… whatever you did, to shift those rocks like that." Absol picked up a packet of chips with his teeth and dropped it on the floor besides him. "You mind if I choose this?"

"Not at all," Lucario said, walking over to Absol. "There's a few more in the crate too."

"I know; that's why I chose it." With one paw firmly holding the packet to the ground, Absol ripped the pack open with his teeth, exposing the prize inside. He kicked some of the chips out into the floor and looked up at Lucario with a grin. "Thanks for the food, then. Shall we share?"

Lucario nodded and picked up a chip with his paws whilst Absol ate them straight from the floor. He walked over and sat on his hay bed and took a small nibble of the chip. Rough and incredibly salty, Lucario did not like the chip much, but it was a passable snack.

He continued to suck at the morsel in his mouth before permitting himself to swallow it. That was his little habit: he would always suck the first mouthful the longest. He did not know why; it certainly did not make the food any better. Still, the first taste was usually the best, and Lucario wanted to enjoy it longer.

Meanwhile, Absol was chomping noisily, sweeping up the chips on the floor like a vacuum cleaner. Lucario grinned as he watched; he had never seen a real vacuum cleaner in action, but he figured it was something similar to the white Pokémon.

The Disaster Pokémon looked up at Lucario with crumbs stuck all over his mouth. "Eh… you're such a slow eater. Pick up the pace, or they will all be gone! … Just kidding, of course." Absol picked up the packet gently with his teeth and jogged over to Lucario.

"You can have it all," Lucario said quickly as Absol dropped the packet next to him, but the white Pokémon was not listening.

"Hey, Lucario, do you mind if I ask an insensitive question?" Absol seemed to be brimming with curiosity once again.

"Go ahead."

"You said your father took you in when you were young… and your father was a Xatu…" Absol hesitated, as though unsure if he was treading on thin ice with his line of questioning, but Lucario understood.

"Well, Xatu was not my real father, obviously. I spent a good portion of my life as a Riolu without a home, just roaming around, like you."

"And your real parents?"

Lucario shrugged. "I have no idea."

Absol was aghast. "You mean… you were alone from the moment you were born?"

"It's not so bad. The forest Pokémon were kind. Well… most of them anyway." Lucario reached out for the aura box he had at his side. "Let me show you something." He opened the box and pulled out the eggshell necklace.

"This is a fragment from my egg. I'm hoping to show it to my real parents one day, so that they know it's really me."

Lucario placed the necklace down in front of Absol, who gazed at it approvingly. While Absol was gawking at it, he removed his scarf – which he realised that he still had on since his little excursion – and stuffed it in the aura-imbued box.

"Amazing. Is that Ariados webbing?" Absol asked.

"Yes," Lucario said, a little surprised that Absol recognised the material of the white string. "She was very kind. To think I was afraid of her at first."

"Amazing," Absol repeated. He then pushed the eggshell gently back to Lucario. "You better keep it before it gets lost."

Lucario took the necklace and placed it in the box again. He then shut the lid firmly. "You know, it was almost stolen once."

"Really?"

"Yep. By the same group that attacked us the other day."

Absol scowled. "Those three again?"

"Horrible, isn't it? If my father hadn't intervened, I might have lost the necklace… and maybe even my life." Lucario sighed. "That was the day I decided to stay with him. Since then, he taught me so much."

Seeing Absol's bewildered expression, Lucario laughed. "I'm starting to bore you, aren't I? That's enough about me. How about you? What's your story?"

Absol looked surprised for a moment. He then shifted nervously, turning his gaze away from Lucario. "Huh? Me? No… uh… my life isn't all that interesting."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I lived with a human for a few years, as a little roommate. Pretty much no one knows I'm even staying there, since I try to stay hidden from visitors."

"I see." The waves emitting from Absol were neutral and emotionless. "What do you mean by 'roommate'?"

"Well… we were kinda sharing the house," Absol said, smiling. "Of course, the house is completely hers… but… she never captured me. I have never been bounded by a Poké Ball. I couldn't pay rent, of course, so I helped by keeping the house tidy, and so on."

"So, why not be my roommate then? You needn't pay rent, nor do you need to keep this place tidy." Lucario looked around at the things scattered everywhere. It had been some time since he last tidied up. "I think messy suits me more anyway."

"I'm still not sure about that… I have been thinking actually…"

"About what?"

"Before I stayed with my human, I was a traveller. I roamed everywhere." Absol's eyes were sparkling with excitement now. "I was kinda thinking of going back to those olden days."

"Oh. I guess that's good, to have something that you want to do. Does that mean you won't be around this area much longer?"

"I haven't decided yet."

There was a pause, and the two said nothing for a while. Absol strolled around to examine the various curios in the room while Lucario looked on, the bag of chips having lain forgotten.

"So, do you have something that you want to do?" Absol enquired, "Like travelling, or maybe finding a human partner… or start a family?"

"I like going human-watching," Lucario replied earnestly, like a child admitting his lifelong ambitions to his parents.

Absol wheeled around in astonishment. "Excuse me?"

"You know… observing them, watching their everyday routine…"

"Like a stalker?"

Lucario blinked. "I wouldn't put it that way…"

"Ah, I'm sorry! I don't mean it like that!"

"That's okay," Lucario said, hugging his knees. "I think it would be more accurate to describe myself as a shadow. Plus, I can read minds and emotions. Everyone has a story to tell – it's a good way to pass time."

"And how long have you been doing this?"

"Since I was a Riolu," Lucario said, closing his eyes and reminiscing. "I would lurk in the bushes and watch people walk by. It was only today when I took it a level higher – I ventured into the city itself. At the moment I am watching a girl who seems to be searching for someone. That was where I went the whole morning and afternoon."

"Oh."

Lucario ploughed on nonchalantly. "It would seem the city will face a crisis some time in the future too, so I'm trying to familiarize myself with the place."

Absol's eyes widened in surprised. "Crisis? Excuse me?"

Lucario was startled – he only just realised what he had let slip. He quickly shook his head, averting his eyes from Absol's gaze as though he had been caught in wrongdoing. "It's nothing."

Absol ran back to Lucario's side and sat down. "No, go on. You were about to say something."

"It's nothing." But even as he said that, Lucario could feel Absol putting two and two together, and it was then that he realised for the first time how quick-witted the white-furred Pokémon really was.

"Don't tell me it's another one of your father's predictions?" When Lucario did not reply, Absol added, "I'm right, aren't I?"

Lucario raised both paws in defeat. "A slip of the tongue. Please forget what I said."

"But that is a very grave matter. What's going to happen?"

"I don't know the details myself, but dad said I can help, so I'm going to try."

Absol was nervous and concerned. When he spoke again, his tone was low and soft. "Will everything be all right?"

"I have no idea. My father was being very mysterious."

Absol, who had been leaning forward to Lucario in anxiety, drew back with a deep breath. "Sounds very serious to me." He paused, studying Lucario's face. Noticing this, Lucario shot back a quizzical look of his own. Absol continued, "And you're okay with that?"

The blue fighting Pokémon tilted his head to one side, puzzled. "Okay with what?"

"Helping the city. It's probably going to be dangerous."

"It's not just the city – this forest will be damaged too."

"But this mountain looks sturdy – and it's quite high up." Absol looked sceptical. "You sure this disaster is that devastative?"

"I dunno," Lucario said, shrugging. "But even if this mountain remains unharmed, I still want to protect the forest. And now that I think about it, it's probably better for you to leave this place. I wouldn't want you caught up in the mess."

Absol was silent, and Lucario could feel the strong winds stirring up in Absol's mind again. It seemed like Absol was debating about something, and though he would like to read Absol's mind, the disaster Pokémon appeared to be affronted the first time he did so. Besides, it was probably about something private that he should not intrude on.

After a while, Absol got back to his feet.

"I guess… it's time for me to go, then."

"What?" Lucario said in surprise. "So fast? Was it something I said?" he added beseechingly.

"No, not at all." Absol seemed distracted. His eyes were staring off into space, and he was visibly disconcerted about something.

"Absol? Sir?"

"I think..." Absol began, his eyes focused once more. "I think I'll hang around this area a little more. If I decide to leave, I'll pay you another visit before doing so."

Lucario nodded and gave a small smile. "Even if you are not going on your trip, I would be happy if you drop by sometimes."

"Sure thing," said Absol. He looked at the green bundle of berries he brought as a gift. "If you don't mind, I would like to take my little kerchief back. Shall I pour the berries into the crate for you?"

"Oh, berries from the forest go to a separate basket," Lucario replied, pointing to a solitary basket in another corner. "But you can keep the berries; really, I have a lot of them! In fact, you can take some of mine with you, if you want –"

"There's no need, seriously." Absol was now running over to basket, the little bundle swaying rapidly as it hung from the side of Absol's mouth. Before Lucario could protest, he had poured the contents into the basket, the berries flowing from the cloth like a multi-coloured waterfall. "Your hospitability is great enough for me."

And then Absol turned to Lucario, their eyes meeting again. Absol gave a bow to which Lucario returned.

"I'll be off now then. Thanks for having me."

"Thanks for coming."

"Right. It's been a pleasure. Take care." Absol turned and walk a few steps before stopping. "You did not seal the cave entrance, did you?"

"I didn't."

"Okay. So… till we meet again!"

And he was off, but Lucario continued to stare at the space where Absol had stood earlier, thinking of how similar this scene was to the time when he, as a Riolu, had left Xatu in the cave shortly after they met for the first time.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

Julie was still asleep in her room when Lucario arrived at Tomorrow Inn, though that was not surprising, since he was there early. He did not bother to enter it this time – the innkeeper was kind, but the blue Pokémon was still embarrassed from their first encounter.

Thus, he continued standing there, like a bodyguard protecting the building. There were very few passers-by, though he was not sure if the lack of people and Pokémon was because of the time or the area itself.

Time passed excruciatingly slow, and by the time Julie woke up, Lucario himself was feeling a little somnolent. However, he forced himself to focus, and was fully alert by the time she walked out of the inn. She looked fresh – fully revitalized from a good night's sleep. She had a change of clothing, choosing to dress herself in a white shirt with blue jeans.

Julie no longer had the burden of wheeling her suitcase, for she had presumably left it upstairs along with her hat. Instead, she now sported a little handbag, which was hung around her shoulders. She held in her hands the brochure that was given to her by the innkeeper yesterday.

Lucario quickly slipped behind a tree, trying to avoid detection. Using his aura sight again, he saw Julie stuffing the brochure into her bag. She then started to walk away. He left the shade of the tree and followed her from a good distance, just like the day before.

It did not take long before her destination became clear: the bus stop. A line of both people and Pokémon were already formed before a small pole with a picture of a bus. Julie slipped into the back of it, just behind a Pachirisu.

Lucario was now in a dilemma. If Julie was to get on the bus without him, it would be impossible to continue his game of shadowing. On the other hand, he had no money. Everything Xatu had left for him was kept securely in the cave.

Minutes passed and Lucario maintained his distance, still in a quandary of what his next action should be. A couple of people had taken the spots behind Julie now, obscuring her from his optical view, but he could still easily pinpoint Julie using aura.

"Excuse me…"

Lucario whirled around to the source of the voice, cursing himself for letting his guard down again. It only dawned on him that the stranger was speaking in Pokémon language when he saw a Mightyena standing next to him.

The Mightyena spoke again. "I would like to know how long it is before the next bus arrives."

"That… uh… I don't know, actually." He was momentarily distracted by the stranger's aura; there was something special about this Mightyena…

"I see. I'll go ask someone there, then. Thanks."

The black and grey-furred Pokémon started to walk, but Lucario called out to him.

"W–wait a minute!"

"Yes?" The Mightyena stopped in his tracks and looked at Lucario politely.

"You… but you can speak human language!" Lucario blurted out, completely taken aback by what the Mightyena's aura had revealed. His look of surprise was reflected on the Mightyena's face.

"How did you know?"

"Your aura… it… but, wow, I mean… that's so…"

Just then, a yellow bus came from behind, slowing to a halt at the bus stop. Lucario could see the driver twiddling with something, and the doors in the front and back flipped open. Everyone in the queue slowly boarded the bus through the front, while a few people got off through either door.

"Ah, I'm sorry! I need to be on this bus!" the Mightyena yelled to Lucario, half-sprinting towards the back of the queue. Eager not to lose such an interesting Pokémon, Lucario followed closely behind.

"But do you have money?" Lucario asked curiously, examining the Mightyena. "I mean, I don't see a pouch with you or anything. Or do you have a human aboard?"

The stranger laughed in response. "Money? But don't you know? Bus rides are free for Pokémon here."

"Really?" Lucario cried happily. That was his problem solved. "Excellent!"

"You're not from around here, are you?" the Mightyena asked as he climbed up the steps to the bus. Lucario followed behind him, and they both walked to where there were two vacant seats in the middle. The unlikely duo drew some stares from the other passengers, but Lucario paid no heed to them. Julie was seated at the very back of the bus, but right now, he was more interested in the Mightyena.

"Not really," Lucario replied casually. "But that goes the same for you, isn't it?"

The dark Pokémon's jaw dropped in astonishment. "Why do you know so much about me?"

"Ah, I'm sorry," said Lucario, scratching his head nervously. He made a mental note not to reveal too much of his aura abilities to strangers in the future. The Mightyena seemed uncomfortable with how much Lucario seemed to know about him. "I've been reading your aura. I think I'll stop now."

"Aura reading…" the Mightyena muttered softly. "That's interesting. Anyway, it's true. I'm from a distant land. I came with my human partner for a little holiday here, since his parents had work in this place."

"Aha, you have a human." Lucario had already known that, but decided not to mention it. "Do you have a name, then?"

"I do, but for all intents and purposes, you can just call me Mightyena."

"Okay. You can call me Lucario."

The bus swerved around a corner, almost throwing Lucario out of his seat. It was a large bus, but it actually felt quite comfortable riding in it – enjoyable, even. Not only was the chair soft and comfy, but above every passenger's seat was a miniature air-conditioner which kept a constant stream of cool air. Lucario held up a paw and let the air-conditioner blow on it, enjoying the chilly sensation.

"Your first time on a bus, I take it."

Lucario turned to look at Mightyena, who was surveying him with interest. "Yes. First time in any vehicle, in fact."

Mightyena looked amused. "Your trainer never takes you for rides?"

"I…" Lucario lowered his voiced to a whisper so that no other Pokémon could hear him. "I don't have a trainer."

"Eh?" The surprise on Mightyena's face was plain and evident. "You're wild?"

"Shh! Yes, I'm wild!"

Mightyena's eyes were now fixated on Lucario's red scarf. "The scarf –?"

"Given to me so that I can pretend I have a human. I don't want to be captured," Lucario added. "But enough about me. You can speak English!"

"Ah… that." Mightyena turned away from Lucario and stared out the window. "It's nothing special, really. I learnt it when I was a Poochyena."

"Does your human know?"

"Yes, he does. It was quite a shock to him."

"I've been trying to learn English myself," Lucario began, "but it's so hard to pronounce the words."

Mightyena nodded vigorously and turned back to Lucario once more. "It is difficult in the beginning, isn't it? It takes time, I guess. You know how Pokémon usually say only their name, right? Well, that's the best place to start. Those few syllables act as a stepping stone for you to progress to other syllables."

"Oh…" Lucario said in awe. "That's amazing."

Mightyena grinned, patting Lucario in the back with his paw. "Maybe next time we meet we can converse in English instead."

"That would be awesome."

The two continued to chat about all sorts of things, from the city to life with humans. It was clear that Mightyena had been trained to do battle, but it seemed that unlike what was common for a battling Pokémon, he had been doing many other things as well. He led a very well-balanced lifestyle, though Lucario couldn't help but feel that the Mightyena had a tragic past.

The bus continued its seemingly endless journey, stopping along several bus stops along the way. Many people got on and off the bus, but Lucario made sure that Julie was still there with him.

Throughout the journey, the girl kept looking out the window, pangs of sadness and nostalgia emitting from her every time she saw how much a once familiar place had changed. These emotions floated out and mixed with the feelings of all the other passengers, but it was quite easy to tell which emotion belonged to whom.

It wasn't until they were nearing a bus stop at the entrance of a park when Julie finally got up and stood by the bus' rear door, holding onto a pole for support. Seeing this, Lucario instinctively got up too. Mightyena, who was talking about gyms, stopped short and stared.

"Oh, you've reached your stop?" Mightyena asked, peering out the window. "That's Ferrous Park, isn't it?"

"Ferrous Park…" Lucario repeated in a whisper, keeping a close eye on Julie. There was no doubt about it: this was her intended destination all along. "Yes, I guess this is where I'll be getting down."

Mightyena nodded. "Okay then. I guess this is goodbye."

"Goodbye and take care, my friend," Lucario said, bowing. He wished the bus ride had gone on longer – he really enjoyed talking to Mightyena. Still, he must not lose sight of his mission.

The bus came to a complete halt, and once again, the doors opened. As he was nearer to the front, he queued behind a few other people as they slowly got off through the front door. Meanwhile, Julie had already left from the rear, but that was not a problem. It would be easy to track her down again.

Once off the bus, Lucario gazed up at the archway hanging over the park's main entrance. The park seemed huge and impressive. From where he was standing, Lucario could not even see its end. A guard post was situated in front, by a long fence that encompassed the park's boundaries.

Many people seemed to be entering it with their Pokémon, perhaps to enjoy the afternoon together. As Lucario walked through the archway, a huge signboard caught his eye: 'No battling or capturing Pokémon within Ferrous Park!'

If Lucario were to describe the park, he would say it was like a miniature version of the forest. There were trees and bushes everywhere, and judging by a signpost, a lake somewhere in the deeper parts. Pokémon were running about everywhere; some playing with their own kind while others frolicking with humans. It was a very happy place to be – the park was overflowing with positive vibes. He had to resist giving in to temptations and run around wildly like a Riolu once more.

Within all these happy emotions however, a little sad memory was wafting along with the breeze. Bewildered, Lucario dived into it.

In his mind's eye, he found himself standing in the exact spot he was at now, but the environment looked different. Everyone else had disappeared, and the bushes and grass were growing wildly, contrary to the well-kept ones in the park.

A little further away was a huge tree that stood apart in terms of size from all others in the vicinity. Sitting in its shade were two children: a boy and a girl. Even though the girl was years younger, Lucario recognized her as Julie. She was smiling brightly as the boy folded a piece of paper into some sort of shape.

"I'm done!" the boy exclaimed, holding out his creation: a paper plane. He had brown hair, the same colour as his eyes; and was wearing a blue coat.

The girl squealed in delight. "Make one for me too! Make one for me!"

"Better yet, I'll teach you!" the boy replied, taking another sheet of paper from his bag. "So you'll know how to make 'em yourself when I'm not around."

Julie's smile dimmed. "What do you mean when you're not around?"

"Well," he said slowly, "who knows, right? What if one day we moved far away, apart from one another?"

The girl pouted. "I don't want to be apart. Miles, can't things stay like this forever?"

Miles laughed. "You mean you want to stay a child forever? Don't you want to grow up and have a Pokémon partner, at least?"

Julie gave Miles a playful shove. "I don't mean _that_. I meant –"

"I know what you meant, silly," the boy said, shoving Julie back. "I was only joshing you."

"But Miles, what if we really moved to separate places?" Julie's expression was serious now. "What then?"

"If that happens…" Miles picked up the paper plane he folded earlier and took aim at the distance. He then threw it and both children watched as it flew gracefully, riding the wind. It soon dropped on the grass in a glade. "We'll reach one another through these paper planes!"

Julie watched the fallen paper plane doubtfully. "If all paper planes were like yours, I bet it wouldn't reach far at all."

Just then, a Shinx popped out from nowhere and ran to the paper plane, sniffing it curiously. Both of them roared in laughter as the Shinx began pawing at the piece of paper. It then picked it up with its mouth and ran away.

"At least someone appreciates it," Miles said smugly.

"Fine, fine! Teach me how to make one!"

"Okay! Look carefully!"

And Lucario was thrown back to the present world. In the distance, he saw Julie staring at a tree. Curious, he looked at it too, only to find that it was the same tree from Julie's memory. It had certainly grown a lot taller.

With one last glance, she turned and walked away.

Lucario continued to follow Julie as she strolled along. Occasionally a short memory or two would float his way, and he would read it. These memories were mostly of the fun that she and Miles had in the past, and lasted not more than a few seconds. Though these were joyful memories, Julie was remembering them all in a sad way. It even made Lucario feel a little depressed watching them.

After a while, Julie stopped at the lake. Lucario was quite impressed with the lake; it was smaller than the one in the forest, but it had the same tranquility, albeit more crowded. There were especially many water Pokémon swimming about on its surface.

Lucario looked at Julie; another memory was drifting his way, and he could tell it was an important one. Without hesitating, he delved into it.

"What? Vacation?" Julie exclaimed. She was much older now, and so was Miles, who was standing besides her. Miles had certainly changed a lot since his childhood: his brown hair was longer and messy now, and his height had increased tremendously. He looked much more mature, though he had not lost the playful look he had as a child. A Shinx was standing at his heels, staring up at the two humans.

"Yeah. Two months in Kanto," Miles said, grinning and putting up two fingers. "My whole family will be going together."

At this, the Shinx gave an indignant cry and tugged at Miles' jeans. The boy laughed and bent down, patting him.

"Of course I did not forget about you," he told the Shinx. "I said 'my whole family', didn't I?" Miles drew to his full height again and looked at Julie.

"I'll be staying at my uncle's. I'll be back after that."

"That's a long time," Julie said wistfully. "But it's good to go on a vacation."

"Oh, I don't know about that." He lowered his voice and leaned closer to Julie, as if about to convey a secret. "Between you and me, my uncle's a boring one."

They both laughed.

"I'm going to miss you," Julie said after a while.

Miles grinned. "Well, we can always reach each other using this…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a paper plane. "Ta-dah!"

Julie giggled, covering her mouth with both hands. "I can't believe you're still at it!"

"Of course! I never forget." He began swinging the plane around, mimicking a real plane's movements.

"If all paper planes were like yours…" Julie began, but was cut short by Miles.

"I know, I know. They won't go far, right?"

And he threw it to his front. To their surprise, it went quite far indeed…

The scene shifted, and Lucario found himself inside a house. It was small and neat. Seated on a long sofa were a man and a woman: Julie's parents. Julie was sitting on a separate chair next to them, looking upset. Her parents, on the other hand, looked anxious.

"An opportunity of a lifetime, Julie," her father was saying exasperatedly. "I'm very sorry, but don't you see?"

Julie shifted her feet slowly. "… I understand."

Her parents exchanged relieved looks.

"But… but… can't it at least wait till Miles come back?" Julie pleaded.

"Anderson?" Mr. Hawthorne said. He shook his head. "I'm sorry… it has to be soon…"

"… I understand," she said again.

The scene changed again, and now Julie was walking quickly with a little letter in her hand. As she walked, she removed the paper from the envelope and began to read it, checking for mistakes. The letter was written in English, but Lucario understood it perfectly.

"_Miles, _

_My father has been offered a good position in the company. The bad news is that we have to move to Johto. _

_You're still on your vacation, so I have to say goodbye with this letter. I really don't want to leave, but I can't say no to my father – he's been wanting this post for so long. _

_When we've finally settled down, I'll call or mail you my new address and phone, so wait for me! Don't you ever forget me! I'm sure we'll see each other again._

_Oh, and say goodbye to your parents and Shinx for me, please._

_Julie"_

Satisfied, she was about to push the paper back in the envelope when a sudden inspiration hit her. Smiling, she folded the paper into a plane and slipped it in.

At last, she reached Miles' house. No one was inside, of course. She walked up to the mailbox and placed her letter within; sandwiching it between a few thick envelopes which were already inside. She looked at the little building one more time and then walked away.

Now, Lucario found himself in another house; presumably Julie's new home. He could tell that a lot of time had passed since she left Ferrous City. In fact, this scene seemed pretty recent judging by the physical appearance of Julie, who was sitting by a desk, alone at home. She was writing yet another letter.

One of the first few lines read: '_We've finally settled down after renting several places. We haven't got a phone yet but here's my new address…"_

And she sent the letter happily, eager to finally correspond with Miles again… and she waited… and waited… days flashed by, but no reply came… She couldn't reach him by phone either…

Lucario was back once again to the present. He looked over to Julie, who was staring at the lake with a blank expression. Of course she did not get a reply from Miles. She now knew that it was because Miles had moved too.

_Just where could he be now? Surely not in Kanto…_

Julie morosely watched a young boy run by, cheering wildly as he was being chased by a Bidoof. The time when she could run around without a care was long gone. Such was the pains of growing up. Things change…

Lucario, however, watched in alarm as the child came closer and closer to him, looking backwards and not noticing the blue fighting Pokémon in front of him. Lucario was too surprised to dodge, and the kid bumped right into his leg.

The child looked up frightfully into the crimson eyes of Lucario and winced slightly when he saw the Aura Pokémon stare right back. He gave a squeak of apology and ran away again, perhaps not from Bidoof this time.

The Bidoof, however, frolicked by Lucario, yelling out an apology as well. He was still chasing the boy. Clearly the game was still on for the little brown Pokémon.

Lucario took his eyes away from the duo only to find that he had caught Julie's attention. Apparently, she had noticed the little accident. Lucario tried to look nonchalant and turned his gaze elsewhere, but it would seem that Julie was more interested in the boy and Bidoof than she was at him. Lucario had a feeling he knew why.

After a few minutes, Julie started to walk again, faint feelings of excitement building up slowly inside her. She walked out of the park's side exit and quickened her pace – she seemed very eager to reach her next destination.

As Lucario tried to keep up with her, he realised that Julie was once more engrossed in reminiscence. Seeing as they were moving, it was harder to take a peek inside her mind. Still, he was getting curious: what could have caused her excitement to override her melancholy?

Succumbing to curiosity, he tried to enter her mind while keeping an eye on the path at the same time…

Julie and Miles were much younger again, but the boy had already got his Shinx. The three of them were on a hill overlooking the ocean. Miles and Julie were crouched down, peering over something that Lucario couldn't see. Shinx was sitting a short distance away, looking bored. Then, the two children moved aside, revealing the hidden object.

It was a small sapling.

"Why is it still so small?" Julie asked, scratching her head.

"Are you kidding? We only planted it about a week ago!"

"Plants grow fast," she shot back indignantly.

Miles shook his head. "Not _that _fast, I don't think. We should be glad it's still alive."

Lucario then felt a sharp pain as he was forcefully ejected from the memory. The cause of the sudden sting was clear: in his lack of concentration, he had walked straight into a lamppost. He growled softly as he rubbed his muzzle, looking around. Several people were staring at him oddly, but they turned away quickly when he glowered at them.

Julie was still in his line of sight, but he saw something in the horizon that made him gasp: the ocean. It was the first time he had seen the ocean with his own two eyes, and it was beautiful; far more than words in a book could describe, and a thousand times better than any illustrations he had seen. He must have come a long way indeed, for he had never seen the ocean from the summit of his mountain.

His heart leapt for joy and he sprinted forward, his arms flying freely at his sides, his mission completely forgotten. The tails of his scarf were fluttering like a flag on a windy day. As he ran he passed Julie, who gave a start as the blue blur overtook her.

Giving in to his desires would mean that he would lose sight of the girl for a while, but he figured it didn't matter. After all, it would seem that she was heading towards that general area anyway.

It did not take long for Lucario to reach the sandy beach. The place was situated at a lower level than the city; hills surrounded the golden sands, and there were trees everywhere. The area remained blissfully untouched by human hands. It pleased Lucario that there was another place besides the forest where nature was still dominant over civilization.

He romped about in the sand, enjoying how it felt against his feet. He ran his paws in the water, which felt colder than the forest's lake. He even tried drinking it, but it did not taste as good. Still, he was happy. There was no one else about, and it felt like the whole beach belonged to him.

Lucario then remembered reading about sandcastles, and he rushed immediately back to the sand and sat down. He began scooping up the sand with his paws, but it was quite difficult to do so; they kept slipping off. In the end, all he managed to create was a small pile of sand, which he proudly dubbed his sand mountain.

As he stood marveling at his creation, he sensed a presence at the top of a nearby hill. He looked up and saw Julie, her hands over her mouth in shock as she stood before a tree.

_It grew! It really grew!_

The little sapling from her memory was just in front of her; no longer a small plant, but a majestic tree, towering over the girl. Its leaves were lush and green, rustling melodically amidst the wind. Julie was overcome with complete surprise and joy – Lucario could even sense it from below at the beach.

A new memory flickered from within her, and as though she just remembered it herself, she gasped and ran out of sight. Slightly stunned at Julie's flight, Lucario took a few steps closer to the hill and took in the memory.

Julie and Miles were at the hill again, more or less the same age as when they planted the tree. Miles had a large, silver box in his arms which reminded Lucario of his own aura box at home. There were quite a lot of items in the box, but what stood out the most were two paper planes that had been coloured with markers.

"They're beautiful…" Julie commented admiringly.

Miles peered down at the paper planes. "They are, aren't they? When the time is right, we'll set them off into the sky, where they belong."

"And when is that?" she asked, gazing up into Miles' brown eyes.

The boy shrugged. "I dunno. What do you think?"

Julie smiled. "When we want to reach other."

Both of them laughed. They then bent down to the ground, where a fresh hole had been dug. Miles closed the box tightly and placed it in the hole. He then took a shovel and covered the hole with earth.

"Right then," he said, patting the ground where the hole had been. "Our time capsule has been planted."

"Yeah!" Julie cheered. "We'll dig it up again in years to come!"

"Let's decide on a specific date, then."

_The date… it's next year… Of course. This is how I can reach him…_

Julie was back, and Lucario could see a huge shovel in her hands. He could only guess that she had run off earlier to borrow one. Her mind was working very fast now. She walked up to the tree they planted and took a few steps away from it. Then she bent down and started to dig.

_If he remembers, just like me… if the memories I have are also living in his mind…_

Dirt flew everywhere, and her shirt was completely filthy now, but Julie did not care. She continued to dig furiously, and at last, the silver box was revealed. She picked it up and cradled it in her arms. This was it. The one true solution.

_Of that I am certain. A year later… he will come. _

She opened it and the first thing that greeted her was the pair of paper planes, still as beautiful as they were years ago, seemingly untouched by the hands of time. A smile formed on her face as she examined every little item in it.

_I am confident he still remembers. And if he doesn't… then that means we are not fated to meet again._

The waves of nostalgia from Julie were getting extremely strong now, making Lucario feel a little guilty that he was intruding on her privacy. He was just about to pull away from her mind when she reached out for a piece of paper. She took out a pen and scribbled quickly on it.

_You used to say such silly, clichéd things… but you may be right. With this paper plane, I will finally be able to reach out to you._

After writing a short message and her new contact details, she folded the paper into a plane and placed it inside; making sure that some of the writing was perfectly visible on the wings. Julie then took one of the coloured planes out.

She closed the silver box firmly, and like Miles did years ago, buried it again. After covering the hole up, she stood next to the tree and gazed into the ocean. With the plane in her hand, she took aim at the horizon, and let it fly.

_Can you hear me, Miles? Now, more than ever, I need you to listen…_

She looked as the plane sailed out of her hands and into the sky, but quickly turned away the next second, not wanting to see where it landed. For her, she would like to think that it soared the skies forever.

And then she walked away.

This time, Lucario let her go. He was satisfied; she had a story, and he had been lucky enough to hear it. He was done now.

The paper plane glided slowly downwards to the beach and landed besides a rock, its tip facing upwards, as if wanting to take flight again. Lucario hesitated. Would it be okay to just leave it there?

**:::::::::::::::::::**

The sun had completely set when Lucario finally found his way back home. Darkness extended its reach to every corner of the forest, and the nocturnal Pokémon were starting to awaken. He had been quite unsure of the route back seeing as he did not pay attention in the bus. It took a lot of trial and error for him to return to Silver Forest.

Once inside his cave, he plopped down onto his bed, tired but satisfied. Without getting up, he reached out a paw and dragged his box closer. With one paw, he removed the scarf from his neck and placed it inside the box. As he was about to close the lid, the journal caught his eye. After pondering for a moment, he took the book out. It was time for another entry.

_Julie Hawthorne – my first subject. A girl with a happy childhood; and wishes to go back to those precious days. Feelings of sorrow and longing were intertwined with happiness. That is kind of contradictory, isn't it? Happy memories should make us happy when we recall them, but it can also cause a sense of despair, especially if we can't experience them anymore. _

Lucario paused, thinking about the last sentence he wrote.

_I should know that feeling very well. Still, when she left the hillside, she was brimming with hope. Guess she is confident that the boy will check that little box then. Good for her. I'm sure he will. As for her treasure, I will keep it well to remind me of how important memories are, and to treasure what we have now._

Lucario pushed the diary aside, getting up and walking over to a crate that had previously been empty. He peered inside. The empty space had been filled by the paper plane, looking very lonely in the crate. He had decided to fill it up with more interesting objects that he may encounter in the future.

He walked back to the diary and continued his entry, writing in neat footprint runes.

_The paper plane, a symbol of hope. It takes flight, seemingly able to transcend into realms of impossibility. It never flies far though. Does that mean it represents false hope? I don't think so. It seems that humans have hopes for many things, but so do Pokémon. I, too, have many hopes. For one, I would like to meet my real parents. _

The sky began to rumble, and Lucario looked out through the holes in the wall. Dark clouds had assembled, and it was drizzling slightly. Lucario leapt to his feet immediately. Since there were holes in the walls of the cave, rain occasionally got into the room, wetting the items near these openings. He scooped up his bed and laid it on the other side of the room before returning to do the same with Xatu's.

The only other thing he had to move was his aura box, which was usually kept besides his bed. All the other things were not near enough the holes to get drenched. Now that the mini-evacuation was complete, he laid down on the bed again to conclude his journal entry.

_Maybe one of these days, all that we hope for will come true. Just maybe. I hope._

He then placed the journal in the box and closed it. It was raining rather heavily now; the floor near the openings were becoming quite wet indeed. Lucario stretched and yawned. Perhaps he would turn in early tonight.

He pulled his bolster – the one Xatu used to prop against the wall – closer and hugged it, about to sleep when he sensed something stirring outside in the rain. His eyes immediately snapped open and he ran out to the entrance. There, he moved the boulder to find Absol completely soaked, his white fur sagging comically.

Absol seemed very surprised that Lucario knew he was there, but he did not voice it out. Instead, he stared into Lucario's crimson eyes and said, rather sheepishly, "Still looking for a roommate?"

Lucario could only smile and nod.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Next time, on I Am Lucario…

"_Even if I escaped, I would still be bounded by that stupid Poké Ball! I was stupid enough to get captured, and this is the price I pay!"_

Chapter four will be submitted in two weeks, around the week of June 15th.

Any comments? Suggestions? Mistakes? Feel free to drop in a review! Especially since this was Lucario's first excursion to the city, hopefully it wasn't too boring.


	4. Prisoner in Paradise

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon

Ah, chapter four… Before we start, I'd like to thank everyone who read and/or reviewed again. I would also like to take the time here to thank all the anonymous reviewers, since I can't reply to them personally. So, thank you all very much! I really appreciate it.

As **Ivee~Lynn~Lee** stated (and **hawktakesflight**, by PM), the Mightyena from the previous chapter was indeed Wolf, from my old story, _A Mightyena Named Wolf_. For those who did not read it, you don't need to do so; Wolf is not a main character in this story. He only made a cameo appearance.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"And your bed's over there," Lucario said, pointing to the bed of hay. "It's usually by the openings on the wall, but it's raining now, so I moved it."

"Got it," Absol said. He walked over to an empty space and shook himself violently, spraying water droplets everywhere. Lucario stifled a laugh – Absol looked quite amusing. As he covered his mouth with his paws to hide his grin, he realised with a jolt that it was not the first time he had laughed at a wet Pokémon trying to rid water from their fur: he had laughed at Primeape too, and that landed him in trouble.

The white Pokémon, however, was completely oblivious to Lucario's mirth. "I think I'll wait till I'm fully dry."

Lucario stayed silent, his amusement dying out as he looked over at Absol's bed. It used to belong to Xatu. He hoped that Xatu would not mind him lending it to Absol…

"Are you sure it's really okay for me to stay here?" Absol asked earnestly. Lucario's crestfallen face had apparently not escaped Absol.

"Yes, of course."

"Then I'll put up with you for a while," he said, smiling. "I got something I need to do… especially since you say there'll be trouble at the city. After that, I'll probably leave and start my travels."

A lightning flashed outside, making Absol jump. Both of them stared at the rain, which was getting quite heavy now. Lucario glanced at the Disaster Pokémon from the corner of his eye. Absol seemed to be deep in thought again.

"And about that disaster…" Absol began slowly, "I might be able to help you with that too."

"Hmm?"

"If it's a natural disaster, I might be able to see it coming. An Absol can sense this kind of stuff, and they usually appear to warn others when there's an impending calamity."

"That's amazing!"

Absol shook his head dolefully. "No it's not. It's the reason why everyone thinks we're the bringers of disaster."

"Oh." Lucario did not know what else to say.

"But yeah, as I said, I guess I can help you out with that," Absol continued.

"And how many disasters have you foreseen?" Lucario asked curiously, eager to hear more about Absol's ability.

"None so far," he replied, frowning, "but that's because nothing has happened around me." He then quickly added, "Which is a good thing, of course."

The sky rumbled again as the torrent continued. Absol sidled to his bed and lay down, watching the rain through the holes. The cave was extremely dark – Lucario could barely see anything save for the lugubrious vista outside. Of course, he could rely on his aura abilities in times like this, but tonight, he did not feel like doing so. For some reason, the dark was very inviting and cozy.

"Hey, Absol-sir," Lucario began, wanting to prod his nose onto what it was that Absol had left to do in the city, but the white Pokémon was already snoring lightly. Giving up, he leaned back onto his bed, closing his eyes. Absol was a mystery, most definitely. Behind his cheerful and flamboyant façade was a soul that had underwent some terrible trauma.

It was with that thought that Lucario drifted away to sleep, finally succumbing to the melodic lullaby of the rain outside.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

For the first time in a while, the sunlight did not greet Lucario first thing in the morning when he awoke; the reason being that he was not sleeping besides the openings. Feeling groggy as per usual, he briefly wondered why his bed was on the other side of the room before he remembered that it was he who shifted their positions during the rain.

Still sleepy, he walked over to the window-like holes and stared outside; taking in the unique scent that always lingered after a heavy rain. Judging by the dryness of the floor he was standing on, the rain had probably stopped for a few hours now. He stretched and yawned, then returned to carry the beds back to where they once were.

"Good morning!" Absol greeted cheerfully, appearing from the path that led to the deeper part of the cave.

"Morning," Lucario replied, barely suppressing another yawn, his paws full with hay.

"Need my help?" asked Absol.

Lucario placed the bed down next to the wall, gently brushing some sand that had somehow stuck to the top of it. "Nope. I'm done."

"Nice." Absol was grinning. "Nothing like some early morning interior decorating to get the day started."

"I hate getting the day started," Lucario mumbled, rubbing his eyes with the front of his paws. Ever since he evolved, he never used the back of his paws for rubbing due to the growth of his spikes. "I always want to sleep in."

"Well, go ahead and sleep in if you want to," Absol said, walking over to his own bed and lying down. He stared up at Lucario expectantly, jerking his head towards the blue Pokémon's bed. "After all, you are the master of this house. You decide what to do."

"I think I'll stay up, thanks."

"Well then…" Absol sprang to his feet once more, walking over to the food crate. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Anything is fine." Lucario began stretching his arms and legs, which felt sore for some reason. It just occurred to him that he had not continued his training regimen ever since he evolved. He would need to do it again someday.

Absol walked up to the Aura Pokémon, a chocolate muffin in his mouth. He offered it to Lucario, who took it gratefully. Absol went back to the crate and grabbed a muffin of his own while Lucario sat on his bed to eat.

The muffin – a wonderful human confectionary, Lucario thought. Soft and sweet, he loved the way it felt when it goes down his throat. This particular piece had chocolate chips all over the top, and several more hidden in its body like treasures waiting to be found. The chips added so much more to the taste. Lucario took a big bite and chewed slowly.

"Any plans today?" Absol called from across the room, his voice muffled due to the fact that his mouth was full.

Lucario shrugged. "Maybe I'll drop by the city again. Wanna come along?"

"Sure."

Lucario looked at Absol in surprise. He had expected him to refuse, as Absol did not strike him as the type who would frequent crowded places. "You okay with humans seeing you?"

"I guess I don't really mind if I'm not alone. On rare occasions, I walk around with my roommate in the city." He turned and looked intently at Lucario. "That's you now."

"Guess so. But you'd better be careful not to let anyone capture you."

"Don't worry about it. Check inside my bed," he said with a jerk of his head, gesturing at the bed besides Lucario.

Nonplussed, Lucario reached out his left paw and shuffled the hay around. His paw suddenly caught something soft and smooth, and he pulled it out to find a green cloth. He recognised it immediately as the green kerchief Absol had used to wrap up berries from before.

He held it up, staring at it bewilderedly.

"My old roommate gave it to me," Absol explained. "You have a scarf, don't you? Well, here's my version."

Lucario grinned, rubbing the cloth with his paws. It was nice, but he preferred his scarf by far. He decided to keep that from Absol.

"I never thought of using a human possession to make you look like you belong to someone," Absol said, taking another bite from his muffin. "That's a really good idea of yours, using your scarf like that."

Lucario blinked. He quickly recalled back all his past conversations with Absol, trying to think of a time when the scarf came up as a topic. "But I never told you about what I used my scarf for."

"Oh… er..." Absol looked embarrassed. He turned his head away from Lucario – a telltale sign of either apprehension or shame. "Actually, I just did a wild guess. I notice that you wore the scarf to the city, but never when you're here. I figured it couldn't be because of the cold, since it's much colder here than in the city, so…"

"I see." It may have just been a lucky guess, but it was not the first time Absol had made an accurate assumption. Lucario was impressed.

After their quick meal, both of them left the cave. Absol stood patiently at the side as Lucario sealed the entrance, and then they trotted down the mountain path. Lucario had his red scarf on, and Absol his green kerchief, making them both look like a comedy duo from a cartoon.

"How well do you know the city?" Lucario asked as they crossed the boundary that divided the forest from Ferrous City's outskirts. The outskirts contained mostly small houses and shops, and were relatively tranquil compared to the busier parts of the city. Nature was quite prevalent in these areas, as though a part of Silver Forest had seeped into the place.

"Not all that well – I don't often explore its deeper areas." Absol took a few steps ahead of Lucario and paused, looking around. The streets were devoid of any life form besides the two. "Well, my old home is actually somewhere in this area. Let's not go there today."

Absol then spun around to face Lucario. "As I said, I don't walk outside much, but when I do, it's usually to a friend of my roommate. We visit her quite often. Let's go now." With that, Absol bounded down a path, leaving a stunned Lucario behind.

"Hey – hey, wait up!" Lucario yelled, running to catch up. "Are you sure about this? I prefer to stay hidden. I don't want to get captured!"

"It's all right, I promise! She is not a trainer either. Besides, she knows me."

About five minutes later, Absol came to a skid just outside a small shop. He then raised a paw, gesturing at the door, as if urging Lucario to enter first. Lucario stopped and surveyed the shop with interest.

"This is it?" he asked.

"Yep."

"That was fast."

A pretty little garden stood in front of the shop with a myriad of flowers growing all around, reminding Lucario of a meadow. A stone path connected the pavement to the front door, where a small sign was dangling, saying 'Open'. Right on the roof was a larger sign displaying the words 'Bakery'. Indeed, the place seemed to be overflowing with all sorts of delectable scents. Besides the door were wide see-through windows that showed several pastries on display.

"A bakery…" Lucario whispered to himself in wonder.

"It's a shop, but it's also her home. Come on, we're welcome here."

Before Lucario could protest, Absol strutted up the path as though he owned the place. He knocked the little white door a few times, and then pushed it unceremoniously. A bell rang softly, indicating the arrival of a customer – or in Absol's case, an intruder.

A voice boomed from somewhere within the building. "Welcome! I'll be with you shortly!" Lucario could tell it belonged to a lady.

Absol strode inside, followed by a timid Lucario, who felt as though he should not be there. Upon noticing that the interior's wallpaper was blue, he pressed his back against the wall, trying to blend in and camouflage himself.

Now that he was inside, he could see for himself all the items that were for sale, displayed prominently on white square trays. On each tray was a miniature sign that detailed the item's name and price. Right by the counter was another set of trays stacked neatly together, along with some tongs – all presumably for the customers to take and place the items they want.

The sound of rushing footsteps interrupted Lucario's study of the room, and he turned to look as an Umbreon came rushing from the back room. When she spotted Absol, she gave a gasp.

"Hey, Absol! Where have you been?" The Umbreon's tone was anxious, her face expression showing tremendous worry.

"Oh. Hi," Absol replied half-heartedly.

"What happened to you? We were so worried when we heard –"

"As you can see, Umbreon, I'm perfectly fine," Absol said abruptly, cutting her off mid-sentence. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. "I brought a friend today, he's – he – where is he…" Absol looked behind him and saw Lucario next to the wall. "There you are. My blue friend, Lucario."

Lucario raised a paw weakly, giving a small wave. Umbreon nodded in reply, and then gave Absol a steely stare.

"You are coming with me to the back, and I want you to tell me everything!" She ran behind Absol and began pushing him, ignoring his groans and protests. As she did so, she turned to Lucario and said, in a much softer tone, "If you don't mind, can you please wait for a while at the other room on the left? I'll get Celia to send some food for you. Thanks."

"That's okay, I don't –!"

But both Absol and Umbreon had disappeared into a room at the back. There was another audible gasp, and Lucario heard the same lady from earlier yell "Absol!" in surprise. With totally no idea what was going on, he decided it was best to just do as Umbreon said.

There were only two other rooms connecting to the one he was at now. One of them was the room in which Umbreon and Absol had disappeared to, so that leaves the other, which was located behind the counter. Even though he had permission, he couldn't help but feel uneasy as he slipped behind the counter and pushed the door.

He found himself in a decently decorated living room, filled with the usual furniture. The wallpaper was brown with an intricate pattern, and a large rug covered most of the floor. It felt really strange rubbing his feet on the carpet, but it was not an unpleasant sensation.

He continued walking around the room, enjoying the feel of the carpet. After he made one lap around the sofa, the door opened. An elderly lady who looked to be in her sixties walked in, carrying a tray of assorted bread and pastries. She had a large apron on and a hairnet over her greying hair. Lucario stood still, watching as she placed the tray down on the table besides the sofa.

The woman turned to Lucario and smiled pleasantly, her tiny eyes twinkling behind her glasses. "Hello, you must be Absol's friend. Umbreon was nudging me and pointing at the other room – it took me a while, but I got the hint. I never expected Absol to bring a friend, but, well… I never expected Absol to turn up in the first place!"

The woman gave a hearty laugh. She then patted the top of the sofa. "Go on, make yourself comfortable! Sit and eat, and if that's not enough, there's more at the back. I'll go tend to Absol now, if you don't mind."

She made to leave, and Lucario quickly bowed in gratitude. When the door closed, he walked over and sat on the sofa, looking admiringly at the feast in front of him. He was spoilt for choice.

In the end, he randomly chose a croissant. He picked it up with both his paws and was surprised to find how warm it was. The croissant was probably freshly-baked, which would be something new for Lucario, since most of the things he ate were hard and stale.

He lifted the bread to his nose and gave it a whiff. The wonderful fragrance compelled him to take a bite, and his eyes widened in surprise as some jam oozed out, sticking to his muzzle. Despite the little shock, he enjoyed the croissant very much – the jam tasted very similar to Oran berries, and the bread was warm and crunchy. A perfect combination. He devoured the entire croissant quickly, which was unusual for him as he had always been a slow eater.

When he was done, he began prodding around the rest of the food on the tray, searching for another croissant. Before he could find one, he heard the faint sound of a bell. He recognized it immediately – it was, of course, the bell signalling the entrance of a patron.

He closed his eyes and switched to seeing with aura instead. Immediately he could see the blue outline of a young boy walking into the store, looking round in surprise at the lack of people.

Lucario got up from his seat and walked out of the room. The boy was dressed smartly in a black blazer, concealing a white shirt underneath it. Not noticing Lucario, he was instead busy looking at the breads on display. The Aura Pokémon walked over to the back room where Absol and the rest were.

The white Disaster Pokémon was busy chatting with Umbreon, with Celia – the bakery lady – looking politely on, not understanding a word they were saying. She looked up in surprise as Lucario entered. Lucario waved his arms around, pointing at the other room.

"Oh, a customer?" Celia, said, getting the message. She got up and brusquely walked to the front. Lucario stared after her for a while and then turned to look at Umbreon and Absol, who had just noticed his presence.

"Ah, sorry for leaving you like that!" Absol called out cheerfully.

"It's okay, I —"

But Lucario was interrupted when a yell came from the front. His aura vision replaced his sight immediately, and he saw Celia running up to the boy, who was at the door with a piece of bread.

"You haven't paid yet, boy!" Celia said firmly.

"So what?" the boy rudely replied.

Before he could see what happened next, Absol and Umbreon brushed past him, heading towards the commotion. Lucario stopped concentrating and followed them.

"If you don't like it, please complain to my father! My name is Greg! Greg Cooper!"

After making that proclamation, the boy stormed out of the shop. The stolen bread was on the floor, apparently dropped by the little thief. Celia was not moving, visibly stunned at the audacity of the boy.

Lucario stood there, feeling just as dumbfounded. Something was up with the boy. Why would a thief boldly declare his name? He did a brief scan earlier, and the boy was not lying about his identity. Yielding to curiosity, Lucario dashed out of the shop while alternating between his ocular and aura vision, but not before giving another bow to Celia and her Umbreon.

Seeing this, Absol ran too, shouting a brief goodbye to the surprised duo in the shop. "I promise I'll come back! One day!"

"You'd better!" Umbreon called out from behind.

And then the both of them were off.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Four: Prisoner in Paradise**

"_From the inside, looking out – can I come out to play?"_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"You don't need to follow me!" Lucario called out to Absol when he noticed the Pokémon running closely behind. "You can stay and chat with them; I'll catch up with you later!"

"Don't be silly!" Absol wheezed. "I'm following you!"

Lucario hesitated, then nodded and smiled. Perhaps it would be more interesting to do his little mission with a friend.

The boy was running fast, but his speed could not be compared to the two Pokémon who were secretly tailing him. Though the boy was still sprinting, Lucario started to decelerate in order to maintain a distance.

"We must not let him spot us," he told Absol, who was finally by his side, though clearly out of breath. Absol never seemed to be able to run much.

Absol gave an affirmative nod. "Understood."

It did not take long for Greg to reach his destination: a large, extravagant mansion. It was very impressive; a huge house located in the outskirts with the forest behind it, and a garden like a park. Lucario had been impressed by Celia's garden, but this one was by far more remarkable. Miniature fountains and Pokémon-shaped bushes were scattered about, complemented by rows of exotic plants. Flowers of all colours grew pretty much everywhere in this clearly well-kept garden, reminding Lucario of Floraroma Town, which he had seen in books.

Greg burst into the mansion, pushing one side of the double-doors open with great force after unlocking them. Lucario walked up and pressed himself against the brick wall of the house, listening closely. In a garden this big, it was easy to remain hidden. The boy was yelling for his father inside with a voice that could rival a Loudred's.

Absol sat down on a patch of grass, staring up at the house. "I've seen this place before. Never thought that kid would live here."

"Strange, isn't it?" Lucario closed his eyes and let the waves sweep over him.

"Huh?"

"A rich thief," Lucario said simply, his concentration on the aura within the house. There was the boy, but where was the father? No one else was inside the house. But wait… there _was_ someone after all… a Pokémon…

After a few minutes, Absol began prodding the concentrating Pokémon with his paw. "Um… Lucario…"

"What?" Lucario asked, opening his eyes and returning his focus to Absol.

Absol pointed at the gate, where Greg could be seen running off in a fury. "The kid has just stormed out of the house."

"Never mind him," Lucario said quickly. "I want to explore inside the house – let's go see!" He could barely contain the excitement in his voice.

Absol looked cynical. "How exactly are you going to 'go see'? We can't just waltz right in, can we?"

Lucario stared at Absol doubtfully. "I don't think so. I've never danced before."

Absol blinked. "Huh?"

"But I wonder how we can get in." His voice trailed off mid-sentence as he stared around the building. He walked up to the front door and tried turning the handle. It was locked. Still determined, he romped around to the back with Absol following like a slow, unenthusiastic shadow.

There, he saw his chance. Up on the second floor, there was an open window which looked large enough for him to climb through. The back wall of the mansion was relatively close to the brick fence that enclosed the building and its vicinity, and if he climbed on the fence, it would be easy to reach the gap.

Absol, who seemed to have figured out what Lucario intended to do, was less than happy about this. "I'm sorry for saying this, but don't you think you're taking this a bit too far?"

"Perhaps." Lucario jumped up with his paws outstretched, trying to grab onto the top of the fence. "But it's dangerous, leaving a window open like that. Anyone could climb right in. They should be glad it's only me – I promise I won't do any harm."

Lucario finally succeeded, and he hoisted himself up. Once atop the fence, he slowly rose to his full height, careful not to lose his balance. "Go round the front," he told Absol, "I'll unlock the front door for you." Seeing Absol's reluctant face, he added, "It'll be all right, I promise!"

Without saying a word, Absol padded out of sight. His dissatisfaction upset Lucario – he did not want Absol to disapprove of him, but he really wished to check out the house. Dispelling all remaining doubt from his mind, he jumped up and pulled himself through the window. It was easy.

It was very chilly in the mansion: there were several air-conditioners in the room that Lucario broke into, and they were all on at full-blast despite the room being empty. Lucario tugged at his scarf, glad that he had something to keep warm with.

Though Lucario had little knowledge on interior designing, he believed that the room belonged to a Pokémon. There were little furniture, and the ones present were short and small, like miniature models of their larger counterparts. Several toys were strewn across the floor, though they looked fairly new and unused. His first impression was that the room belonged to a spoilt Pokémon, but it was his policy to never judge someone else unless he got to know them well.

_Never underestimate anyone._

Caught up with examining the room, he had totally forgotten that Absol was waiting at the front door. He ran out of the room into the much warmer hallway, using Absol's aura as a guide to where the main entrance was. While doing so, he sensed the other Pokémon's aura again, but that must wait.

He made his way down the stairs quickly, almost tripping as he hopped past the last few steps. It was his first time using the stairs, and deep down, he thought it was fun tearing down through the steps at top speed.

Though he knew he was not alone in the mansion, there was a certain air of emptiness surrounding the place. This sombre aura of loneliness was not due to the lack of people at the present moment; no, it was, instead, the product of long periods of isolation felt by someone living here. Strange, really, that a mansion this big and lovely could contain such a miserable aura.

Lucario placed a paw on the doorknob, which felt really cold. He twisted it. There was a click, and he pushed the door open. Absol, who was waiting outside, got up on his feet and strode in, looking around. Though he had disapproved of going in, there was an aura of excitement and curiosity surrounding him, the hypocrite. Lucario couldn't help but smile though.

"It's really wonderful," Absol said, staring at his own reflection in a full-length mirror. "I always thought homes like these are only seen in movies."

"It _is _wonderful," Lucario said breathlessly. He began to prod a large television set, fiddling with the buttons. All of a sudden, one of the buttons sank in, and the monster came to life.

"— once in a lifetime opportunity! Call in now at —"

Lucario yelped frantically and started jabbing the buttons at random. "Absol-sir, help! Help! I broke it!"

Absol ran up to Lucario's side and pushed the largest button. The monster immediately became quiet, the picture that had appeared fading back to black. Lucario breathed a sigh of relief.

Absol looked amused. "Smooth move, Mr. Lucario."

Lucario felt himself blush. "Yeah, well…"

"But you should be more careful – we are intruders here."

Lucario hung his head in embarrassment, his ears drooping slightly. "Yeah, okay…"

"And stop calling me 'sir'."

"Fine, Absol-_sir_," Lucario said, emphasising the last syllable as much as he could. He walked up to a painting hanging on the wall and marvelled at it. He remembered he used to draw lots of pictures – in fact, he still did sometimes. None of his drawings were any good, unfortunately. However, this one was amazing.

Noticing that the painting had caught Lucario's eye, Absol rushed over. "You better not touch that, Luc. Those kinds of things are very expensive. Veeeery expensive."

Lucario looked at Absol, who bore a stern expression. "… Luc?"

"Cario. Luc. Lucario. Whatever floats your boat; I'm lazy sometimes."

"My… boat?" Lucario asked blankly, his head tilted to one side. He checked both of his paws, as if expecting to see a boat there.

"Never mind," Absol said, waving a paw around exasperatedly. "Just be careful with what you examine."

With that, Absol took to hovering behind Lucario as he walked around the large rooms, making sure that the blue Pokémon did not create trouble. Lucario was slightly annoyed, but Absol proved to be a great source of information whenever he encountered something he hadn't seen before.

"What is that?"

"That is a tap. Extremely essential for humans. Water comes out from it."

"Ah!" Lucario cried out excitedly. "I know; I have read about it in books!" He placed a paw above the handle and looked at Absol with wide, beseeching eyes. "Can I?"

"Oh, all right."

He twisted it and a large gush of water came rushing out of the spout. Lucario bent down and took a closer peek.

"Waterfall!" he exclaimed gleefully. He placed a paw under the running water, which was a big mistake. Upon contact with his paw, the water began splashing all over the place. Most of it got to his yellow fur.

As Lucario dried himself with his scarf, Absol quickly jumped and closed the tap. "Hey, you should at least lower the flow if you're going to wash your paws!"

Lucario looked down at his feet in shame.

Just then, there was a loud slam from the top floor. Lucario and Absol looked at each other in stunned silence – Lucario had completely forgotten about the other Pokémon in the mansion. Absol, on the other hand, was shocked and frightened.

"There's somebody else here?" Absol whispered fretfully.

Lucario nodded. "A Pokémon. I sensed its presence earlier."

"Then why are we still fooling around here!" Absol hissed. "I thought the house was empty – or I wouldn't have entered in the first place!"

"Don't worry, it's just a Pokémon!"

"Just a Pokémon?" Absol interjected incredulously, his voice high and shrilly. "What if it was a huge Charizard, or a towering Rhyperior, or – or –"

"Relax! I'll check it out."

Once again, he closed his eyes and felt the aura sweep around him. There was that bitter loneliness again, and the mysterious presence… it was now upstairs, motionless, in a room… small and short… furry…

Lucario opened his eyes. "Apparently… it's an Eevee."

"An Eevee?"

"She's just upstairs. Let's go meet her!"

Lucario started to move forward but was lurched back by Absol.

"Hey – what are you doing? If anything, we should be leaving the house right now!" Absol insisted.

Lucario yanked his paw away from Absol. "You worry too much. She looks okay. If she really wants us to leave, then we'll leave, okay?"

Without waiting for a reply, Lucario ran towards the stairs.

"H–hold up!"

Absol panted as he hurtled after the blue Pokémon, who was now halfway up the stairs. This time, Lucario really tripped, though he managed to break his fall by using both his paws. He then continued onwards on all fours without getting up, the tails of his scarf sweeping the floor as he ran along.

The stranger's aura was leading him back to the room which he broke into. He stood at the hallway and peered in: sure enough, there was an Eevee sitting on a small cushion inside the room. She was staring at the hallway nervously, and when she saw Lucario, she jumped.

Lucario raised a paw slowly and waved uncertainly. The Eevee was evidently afraid of him. Absol pushed past Lucario and looked into the room – Eevee seemed shocked at the appearance of another stranger.

"She's not happy," Absol mumbled as he studied the expression on Eevee's face. "Let's get out of here."

Lucario remained obstinate. "She's just afraid. Let's introduce ourselves."

With that, he took a quick step forward into the room… and bumped into something hard. There was a thud, and Lucario recoiled.

"Ow…" Lucario muttered, rubbing his muzzle. He then looked up. There was nothing there… He put his paws in front of him and felt around. He soon touched a hard, cold surface. "What is this barrier?"

Absol was grinning. "Probably a glass door, Lucario. Shame on you for not noticing that."

"But it wasn't there before," Lucario whined. He looked up and saw the Eevee walking slowly towards the both of them. She stopped short a couple of steps away from the glass and surveyed them intently.

"Who are you?" she finally said in a demanding tone.

"Visitors!" Lucario replied happily, glad that she was finally talking to them. "Hello! It is a wonderful place you're living in."

"No, it's not!" she snapped. She turned to Absol. "How did you guys get in?"

Absol raised a paw defensively. "Don't look at me!" He pointed at Lucario. "He's the one who insisted on us coming. Ask him."

She returned her steely gaze to Lucario. "Need I repeat myself?"

"I came in from your window."

Eevee turned around and looked at the open window which Lucario was pointing at.

Lucario continued, "Absol here came from the front door, which I opened for him."

"You don't need to give all the details," Absol hissed. Lucario merely shrugged in reply.

The three of them stayed silent for a while. Eevee was studying the two intruders again, apparently thinking of what to do with them. At last, she spoke once more.

"If you're burglars, take what you want. Just leave me alone."

"No," Lucario said hastily, shaking his head, "we are only visitors. Please, can we come in?"

Eevee hesitated, but she unlocked the sliding glass door and pushed it aside. Lucario lifted his paw and felt the air in front of him. After ascertaining that there was nothing there this time, he stepped into the room.

"You have a really beautiful room," Lucario commented. Behind him, Absol nodded.

Eevee disregarded them both. She strutted over to her cushion and sat down. Lucario could still sense her uneasiness, but there was another emotion radiating from her. With a start, he realised that it was a little similar to the feelings of isolation he felt around the house. Could it be…?

"I suppose I don't mind if you two come in," Eevee said, stretching her legs, "but you better leave before the brat or old man comes home."

"Brat?" Absol repeated.

Lucario, too, was baffled. "Old man?"

"I meant what I said."

Lucario and Absol exchanged confused looks.

"Hey, is the brat you're referring to your human partner?" Lucario asked timidly.

"He has my Poké Ball, sure," Eevee said tartly, "but he is no partner of mine." She then yawned openly, making no effort to hide it. "Are you here just to ask about my life? Because if you really are thieves, please hurry. Try stripping this place of all its items, I implore you."

"Actually, it would be great if you could tell us more about yourself," Lucario said, feeling excited now. Like the time when he met Julie Hawthorne, he knew this Eevee had a story to tell.

"Excuse me?" Eevee asked, giving a glare so intimidating that Lucario took a step back in spite of himself. "I walk downstairs only to find two burglars _playing _with water, and then the same burglars ask _me _to talk about _myself_?"

"The same _burglar_, you mean," Absol corrected hastily. "Don't include me on that!"

"That's very nice of you, Absol-sir," Lucario said half-amusedly, his eyes still on Eevee as though she was a predator set on destroying him.

"Hey – I helped you out with Machoke and gang, but no way am I helping you out on this one."

Without warning, Eevee jumped off her cushion and grabbed one end of Lucario's scarf from his back with her teeth. She then attempted to haul him out of the room.

"Ack!" Lucario gagged, clutching his neck with both of his paws. The tension on the front of his neck increased further as Eevee gave a mighty pull, choking him. Absol looked like he was shocked to the point of immobility while Eevee continued tugging Lucario as though her life depended on it.

Clearly the fighting and steel type Pokémon was too heavy for her though, for Lucario was not budging at all. Eevee released the scarf and Lucario doubled over, kneeling down on one knee and catching his breath. She walked to his front and stared him in the face; they were at eyelevel now.

"Leave."

"But I'm innocent…" Lucario moaned pathetically, rubbing his neck.

"Asking about me, when I don't even know you – you are probably some stalker or something, and —"

"You're the second one to call me that…"

"— that was very _disrespectful_, I can't think why; or how, you could even —"

"All right! I give up!" Lucario interrupted, putting up both paws as a sign of surrender. If he had not stopped her, who knew how long she would go on. "It was tactless of me – I apologise. I just wanted to know why you were planning to escape this house, when it looks so comfortable! Is that so wrong?"

Both Absol and Eevee were now staring at Lucario with odd expressions on their faces.

Lucario sighed in defeat. "Guess it is wrong, huh…"

"Who told you I was going to escape?" Eevee said sharply, glaring at Lucario again. "Have you been spying on me?"

"No, no!" Lucario shook his head quickly. Eevee was making the wrong conclusions about him again, and he would probably be ejected forcefully from the house if he did not explain himself properly. "You were thinking about it, weren't you? I can hear it loud and clear. '_Must escape, must escape!_' You were planning to jump out of the window – that was why it was open – but you got scared, ha…"

"I was _not_ afraid!"

Eevee jumped forward and tackled Lucario, knocking him to the ground, flat on his back. She then jumped to his chest and stood next to the spike, her face coming dangerously close to Lucario's. Her eyes were narrowed, and Lucario thought he could hear her growling slightly. One of her paws was held over his neck, as though ready to rip his throat out. Lucario was glad he had the scarf for protection.

"I am not a coward!" she shrieked. "I only second-guessed my actions because, even if I escaped, I would still be bounded by that stupid Poké Ball! I was stupid enough to get captured, and this is the price I pay!"

Tears were forming in Eevee's eyes. Lucario did not know what to do; a helplessness apparently shared by Absol, who shifted around uneasily. Eevee was still on his chest; and though she was light, her emotions were overpowering.

"Imprisonment!" she yelled again. "At first… at first I thought it might not be so bad. This seemed like a happy home. And my parents back in the forest have always told me to find a suitable human partner. I thought it would all work out well.

"I was captured by the old geezer, as a present for the brat. The old man clearly thought I would make a suitable companion for the boy. But of course, there was an ulterior motive. He wanted me to keep the boy company while he neglects his duties as a father… and in the end, what happens? I am only an _ornament_ to the kid!"

Eevee continued her speech, but she was getting more and more incoherent, perhaps owing to her anger. Absol was sitting down, listening to her wide-eyed. Lucario was still on the ground, being pinned by Eevee. He decided to dive into her mind and memories instead, to get the clearer picture. He closed his eyes and concentrated…

He was at the front of the mansion, where two people were standing. One of them was Greg, who looked more or less the same as earlier, with his black blazer and messy brown hair. He was smiling ear to ear, looking much more pleasant than his thief persona.

The other person was clearly his father, lanky and smartly-dressed. He was kneeling down so that he was the same height as Greg. He had a Poké Ball on his outstretched hand, which he offered to the boy.

"Greg, this is a gift for you. You have always wanted a playmate, didn't you?" he said softly.

"But dad, I don't really need a Pokémon; I only need you!"

His father laughed. "I am glad to hear that, son, but surely you know I can't be with you all the time. This Pokémon here will fill in the gaps for when I'm not around." He patted Greg's shoulder gently.

Greg reluctantly reached out his own tiny hand and grabbed the Poké Ball. He brought it up to eyelevel and examined it doubtfully.

"Go on," his father urged, "call her out."

Greg tossed the ball to the side and watched as the ball opened. There was a bright flash, and he shielded his eyes. The light subsided and in its place was Eevee, looking a little apprehensive as she stared up at the humans. Mr. Cooper was smiling at her, but Greg remained indifferent.

"Your first ever Pokémon, Greg!" Mr. Cooper exclaimed cheerfully, rising to his full height. "We can clear the room upstairs for her. I'm sure you two will get along great."

Eevee stood patiently, perhaps waiting to be returned to the Poké Ball, or perhaps to be picked up by the child and played with. However, Greg turned away from her and tugged at his father's hand.

"Shall we go to the park today?"

"Ah… that…" Mr. Cooper hesitated, scratching his head. His black hair was as messy as his son's. "I don't think I can come today… I still have some work from the office, and I really need to start writing my book. Why don't you go with Eevee? She'll protect you."

Greg shook his head and pulled his father's hand again. "I want to go with you."

"Sorry, Greg. I'm just too busy these few days."

"You're busy everyday! Can't you quit your job?"

Mr. Cooper laughed. "Quit my job! What next?"

"But you're rich!" Greg protested. "What's the point of working some more?"

Mr. Cooper knelt down again and placed his hands on both of Greg's shoulders. He stared intently into his eyes and said, "You're too young to understand the business world. Maybe one day you'll know why I'm working so hard. It's for the both of us, isn't it? Ever since your mother died, it's been hard on you, I know. But you have Eevee now."

Greg was not convinced, but there was evidently nothing he could do. Meanwhile, Eevee continued standing on the same spot, clearly not happy that she was being ignored…

And that was how Eevee got into the Cooper household, though she did not feel at home there. Mr. Cooper never paid her much attention – no surprise, really, since she was not his Pokémon, but a gift to his son, Greg. Unfortunately, Greg did not care much for her either.

She had her own room, but that was it. As she said, she was just an ornament. A toy. She was usually left unsupervised, since Greg never sought her company often. Instead, he would try and try to get his father's attention. Eevee had had many chances to escape, but as she had stated, she would still be bounded by her Poké Ball.

She was mad. Why keep her there if she was not wanted? She missed her old home terribly… she missed her parents… they were wrong… life with humans wasn't as good as they thought it would be. Here she was, in a big, grand mansion, but it was no home.

Lucario was jolted to his senses by a high, sharp voice.

"— impolite, asking me to talk about myself, and when I do, _you fall asleep_!"

Lucario opened his eyes and examined his environment. Eevee was still on top of him, and she was livid. Absol was nearby, staring at Lucario with a worried expression. _Wait… if Eevee was not talking about Absol, then that means…_

He quickly shook his head, shielding his face with his paws. "No! I was not sleeping! My eyes may be closed, but I'm wide awake!"

"If that's true, then repeat the last thing I said."

"Um…" He turned to Absol for help, but Absol merely shrugged. "'Fall asleep?'"

Eevee raised her paw, ready to strike, but Lucario rolled away quickly, tossing her onto the floor. She was about to launch another attack, but he quickly raised his right arm upwards, like a child in a classroom wanting to get the teacher's attention.

"Before you beat me up, I have a question."

Eevee paused, and Absol edged closer in curiosity.

"Why don't you try getting Greg to release you, or destroy the Poké Ball?"

"Impossible," Eevee said right away. "We don't communicate, and the Poké Ball is kept on his belt."

"Snatch it from him then," Absol said, finally breaking his long period of silence. Lucario nodded in agreement.

Eevee looked thoughtful for a moment. Lucario tried to read her thoughts, but his senses picked up something else instead: Greg was back. He was searching for the front door key from a whole chain of keys; and when he finally found it, he discovered that the door was unlocked. Lucario had forgotten to lock it after letting Absol in.

"Hey, Absol, we need to go," Lucario said quickly, getting up on his feet.

Absol looked horrified. "You mean someone's here now?"

"The kid – he's back." Eevee turned around and stared at Lucario in surprise as he said this.

"How are we gonna get out?" Absol demanded, his voice shaky. "If the kid's downstairs, we –"

Lucario pointed at the open window. "The same way I got in." He turned to Eevee. "The same way you were trying to get out."

"Are you crazy?" Absol squawked, completely panicking. "We're very high up!"

"Oh, come on, it's not that high." Lucario shoved Absol towards the window and hoisted the white Pokémon up. Absol stood on the narrow windowsill, looking down and quivering. Lucario stood on the floor behind him and turned to Eevee, addressing her seriously.

"Eevee, you were on the verge of escaping, but you held back because of the Poké Ball. If you don't take care of that, you will never be able to break free. I know what it is like to miss your parents, believe me."

Eevee looked at Lucario in surprise. Perhaps she had not expected him to have a serious bone in his body. He flashed a comforting smile.

"It will be all right. Ask yourself if you want to continue staying here or not. My father told me to fight fate, so… it's up to you. I think it's good advice. What do you think?"

Lucario turned to Absol, who was still perched oddly on the windowsill, like an overgrown bird. "Oh, hurry up, will you?" He gave a slight push and Absol yelped as he hurtled downwards. Lucario climbed up through the window, gave a slight bow to Eevee, and jumped away.

They were gone, but Eevee couldn't help gazing at the window. It felt surreal, having two Pokémon she never seen before come in and hear her story. What made her open up anyway? It was unlike her to reveal her miseries to strangers. It's all that blue one's fault, she thought angrily. He was the one who brought up the fact that she had tried to escape. And yet, how did he know? It was all so confusing. What he said did make sense though.

_If you don't take care of that, you will never be able to break free. Fight fate…_

Footsteps. She turned around and saw Greg standing outside her room. He was looking around for something, but Eevee did not know what. Perhaps he had heard the two strangers? Greg peered into the room, and their eyes met. He quickly turned away and walked off. _Hmph. Not even a word of greeting._ _Fine. I've decided._

Greg paced quickly down the hall, his eyes scanning the rooms as he passed them by. The front door was unlocked, so that probably meant his dad was at home somewhere. Yet, he was nowhere to be seen. Could it have been a burglar instead?

Oh, how ironic it would be if it was a burglar, when he himself had tried to pilfer some bread from the bakery. He had regretted it since. It was a spur of the moment decision. His father had been neglecting him recently, and he felt sure this was the only way to gain his attention. But now he was afraid he would land in trouble. Hopefully, the bakery lady would drop the matter. Maybe he should go apologise…

He felt something soft and fluffy brush against his leg. He looked down and saw Eevee, who was gazing up at him fixedly.

"What is it?" he asked coldly. Eevee did not reply or make any indication as to what she wanted with him. "Go away." He walked off, leaving behind the brown Pokémon.

A few seconds later, something whizzed by him in a flash, knocking his waist. He looked down in surprise and there was Eevee again, with something in her mouth. It was her Poké Ball, in its miniature form.

_What is she doing?_

Eevee was thinking along the same lines. _What am I doing? Run! Run! I got it! Why am I still standing here, looking at him?_

It was then that she realised why she was still trapped in the mansion. It was not that she never thought of snatching the Poké Ball away – no, that could have easily been done anytime. It was because a part of her could not bear to leave.

She had been neglected, true, but that was not always the case. On the rare occasions when Greg's father spent time with his son, Greg would bring Eevee along too, whether to a picnic, to the park, or even just for a joyride in the car. When he gets the attention, so did she. If she left, a small part of her would feel guilty…

Greg broke her train of thought. "Eevee… what are you doing with your Poké Ball?" When she did not move, he continued, "Do you want to stay inside it?"

She shook her head violently, almost losing her grip on the spherical object in her mouth.

Greg then gasped. "Then… does that mean… you want me to release you?"

Eevee hesitated. He caught on surprisingly quickly, as though he had anticipated that this day would come. She slowly nodded, never removing her eyes from the boy. It was for the better. The blue stranger was right. She must overcome this final hurdle: herself.

Greg was not fazed. It looked as though he did foresee this after all. "I guess you can't take it anymore, huh. I suppose it is not fair to keep you here against your will."

He paused for a while, and then he chuckled. "Guess I am not a good trainer. Well, there's no future for the both of us if things remain this way. At least you have a way out. Come here, Eevee."

Eevee obeyed, walking slowly towards the boy. She dropped the ball at his feet. He picked it up and pressed the middle button, changing it into its full size. He aimed the ball at Eevee, who closed her eyes. A red light shot out and Eevee was sucked into the ball.

Greg hesitated, the ball still in his hand. It was his father's gift to him, after all. _How long has it been now? _He couldn't really remember. Sighing, he pressed the button again. A blue light shot out, and Eevee reemerged from the Poké Ball a short distance away.

The boy walked up to her and bent down. "This is goodbye then." He placed her old Poké Ball on the ground besides her. Without another word, he walked past her into his room, closing the door behind him with a firm thud.

Eevee remained where she was, stunned. She was free. She was really free. She picked up the ball in her teeth again and jogged away happily. There was no need to revisit her room – she had nothing there. She ran down the stairs and pushed open the front door.

After a few steps into the garden, she turned around and took one last look at the mansion. She caught a glimpse of Greg in his room, peering out of the window at her. When he saw her staring at him, he quickly pulled the curtains over the window and disappeared.

Eevee continued to walk. When she made it past the front gate, she stared at the road in front of her, wondering which way to go. She was not alone, however.

"Congratulations!"

Eevee whirled around in fright, almost dropping her Poké Ball. Lucario was leaning against the gate, by himself. He stood up straight and walked over to her.

"I have been watching you both. It seems that you're finally free."

Eevee dropped her ball, freeing her mouth. "What do you mean?" she asked curtly. "You left the building, didn't you?"

"I did, but I've been standing here, still watching. Absol wanted to go back though."

Seeing Eevee's perplexed expression, Lucario grinned. "I can sense aura. With it, I can read memories and thoughts too. It was how I knew you were planning on escaping through the window."

"You've been reading my mind?"

Like all other Pokémon, Eevee did not appear to be pleased by this. Lucario's smile faded, and he said solemnly, "I promise I won't do it again if you don't want me to."

Before Eevee could say anything, Lucario spoke again, "There is something you should know though. I've been sensing feelings of loneliness and depression in this mansion. At first, I thought it was all coming from you."

Eevee opened her mouth to speak, but Lucario cut across her. "I then realised that you were not the sole contributor of the miserable aura. A great deal of it comes from the boy too. He's feeling neglected. He craves for his father's love, but he gets so little of it."

"That's no excuse for treating me poorly."

"Of course," Lucario said, smiling again. "But it would not be correct to say that Greg never cares about you. You should know that yourself, since you were thinking about it. However, there was one more point you overlooked."

"What's that?"

"He keeps your Poké Ball with him at all times. If he truly did not care, he would just leave it lying about – lost it, even."

Eevee was not convinced. "Maybe it's because the Ball's a gift from –"

"Yes," Lucario said patiently, "it is a present from his father. But still, when he let you go, he felt sad. I could detect it. Trust me on this one."

Eevee paused. Then she turned around and looked at the mansion once more. The curtains were still drawn tight in Greg's room. She then spun back to Lucario.

"Just who are you anyway, and why do you interfere so much?"

Lucario was taken aback. "Eh? M–me? But I wasn't interfering…"

"Anyway, I have made my decision," she declared firmly. "I am not staying with the kid anymore. I'm going back to my parents."

Lucario nodded. She was so lucky; to still have her parents and a home back at the forest. He wished the same could apply to him.

"You don't look too happy," Eevee commented suspiciously. "Is something wrong?"

"Huh? No… nothing's wrong at all. I'm happy for you."

"Good." She picked up the Poké Ball in her teeth and began walking away down the pavement, ignoring Lucario. The blue Pokémon refused to be left behind though, and paced slowly behind her.

"Hey, where are you going now?" he asked shyly, afraid she would lose her temper again.

Eevee gave an irritable jerk of the head towards the forest, which was nearby.

"Oh, straight home, then?"

She shook her head and tried to speak, but the Poké Ball was obstructing her mouth.

"Um… may I hold that for you?" Lucario offered a paw. Eevee reluctantly dropped the object from her mouth, and Lucario picked it up. It was a little disgusting, with a little of her saliva on the round surface, but Lucario bore with it.

"I'm going to destroy this Poké Ball first."

Lucario was surprised. He looked down at the red and white ball on his paw. "But you are free. You don't need to destroy it anymore."

"I just want to. I want to do this properly – go all the way."

"Hmm… and how are you going to do that?"

"I've already thought about it. I want to crush the ball completely – smash it to a million pieces," Eevee said savagely, a sadistic smile on her face.

Lucario shuddered. This was one scary Eevee. Perhaps she had turned that way after accumulating all the negative vibes while in the mansion. Either way, if she breaks the ball, it would probably set her free from her mental anguish. There was no doubt that she was nearing the exit in her maze.

"I never did catch your name," Eevee said suddenly.

"Me?" Lucario rushed up to her side excitedly. "I am Lucario! I live in the forest too; up on a mountain. It is the one nearest to the city, but it's still a distance away, I guess."

"Oh. A wild Pokémon. Thought you might have belonged to a human. Anyway, I was thinking of calling you Glass-face, since you crashed headfirst into the door earlier."

"Hey – that's not fair!" Lucario protested, whining slightly. "It really was not there before."

"I can't see how you could have missed it; especially since you were going on about how you can sense aura and stuff."

"Fine… I was careless. I was excited. I got carried away, seeing such a huge house. Plus, it's the first time I've ever been in a human home."

"That reminds me," Eevee said, stopping in her tracks and giving Lucario a scrutinising look. "Why were you in the house in the first place?"

"I told you many times – we're visitors!"

"That can't be true!" Eevee huffed exasperatedly. "What were your true intentions?"

Lucario sighed. "I was human-watching, and I saw the boy, and thought that I –"

"Wait… human-watching?" Eevee interrupted.

"Just a hobby of mine. I watch humans and Pokémon in the city. I find them interesting. And so, today, I've been watching the kid, but when I saw how spectacular his house was, I kind of got carried away."

"Oh, yes. 'Carried away' is an understatement, don't you find? You two broke into a human home," she said in a strict tone. "It's not right."

She was like a mother berating her child. Lucario looked down shamefully and placed both paws behind his back. "I'm sorry," he said ruefully, "I was just…" he paused, searching for the right word, but none came.

"… Being an idiot," Eevee finished for him. Lucario said nothing, and she continued, "How are you related to the Absol?"

"Oh, that. He's my roommate."

"Roommate?"

"He's staying at my cave. He says he used to live with a human, but he left or something."

Eevee seemed intrigued. "He had a bad human partner too?"

Lucario shrugged, fiddling with Eevee's Poké Ball. "He never told me, and I never asked. I don't think he wants to talk about it."

Eevee nodded. "Must be a terrible human, then." She turned towards Lucario again, and spoke without bothering to conceal her sceptical tone, "I thought you said you can read minds?"

"I'm not going to use it on him!" he said, laughing. "He'll tell me if he wants to. I won't sneak into his thoughts."

"Good. Stay out of mine too."

"Fine…"

**:::::::::::::::::::**

The forest in the evening was beautiful as always. The orange glow covered the whole area like a warm blanket, a calm sign of the approaching nightfall. It took a while for the pair to find a suitable place for breaking the Poké Ball.

At last, they stumbled upon a small rock formation which resembled a sort of miniature cliff. Lucario placed the device on the ground while Eevee climbed to the top, where a large boulder was standing.

"Ready?" he called out.

"Yes."

Lucario moved aside and Eevee began pushing the boulder. It did not budge.

"Do you need my help?" Lucario asked, watching her struggle.

"No."

Lucario understood. She wanted to do this all on her own. It was her way of breaking free from the chains that bound her to the ground. He had to respect her persistence as she continued pushing the boulder, which was far larger than her. He admired her drive, and could only watch in awe as that motivation paid off – the boulder moved slowly over the edge, and fell on the Poké Ball.

There was a loud, resounding crack. Lucario looked up at Eevee, who was smiling now. Perhaps it was the same sadistic smile she had earlier, but it was sincere. Lucario could not help but smile along. She had succeeded. She was completely free.

Eevee hopped down quickly and examined the wreck. The boulder was on top of the shattered device, obscuring it from proper view.

"Hey," she called to Lucario, "help me move it away. I want to see what's left of the ball."

"Okay." Lucario walked over to the boulder and tried to push it away. As he was significantly larger, it was not that heavy to him, but it must have been quite hard for Eevee. She was probably very determined.

After moving the boulder aside, Eevee peered down at the broken Poké Ball. The hinge was broken completely, leaving two pieces of it: one red, and one white. There were scratches and cracks all around the spherical device.

"Well… that's that then." She turned and walked away.

"Hey, wait! Aren't you going to take these with you?" Lucario asked, pointing at what was left of the gadget.

"Why would I want that?" she shot back incredulously, facing Lucario. "I've been trying to get rid of it!"

"As a souvenir?"

"No way."

Lucario looked down at the broken pieces. "Then… can I have them?"

Eevee stared at Lucario as though he was insane. "What do you want them for?"

"As a souvenir."

"Go ahead then. Knock yourself out."

"What?" he asked, eyes widening. "Why? Was it something I said?"

She gave him another demeaning look. "That means that yes, you can keep it."

Lucario brightened up, beaming all over. "Thank you!"

Eevee walked away again, but Lucario called out to her. "You can come visit me and Absol sometimes! We're at the top of the mountain near the city!"

And she was gone.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

Night was settling in as Lucario walked slowly towards his home, the two pieces of the Poké Ball in his paws. It may be dark, but he knew his way around. To break the monotony of the journey, he began to think about what he would write in his journal later.

_Eevee, a strange Pokémon. She's very quick to lose her temper, and she's very suspicious of me. She's tiny in size, but explodes like an Electrode. Deep down though, she abhors her new home, even though it was so much fun. That's understandable, as Greg was not a good trainer._

_However, that was only because Greg himself yearns for attention from his father. Sad thing, really. Why does his father not see? Xatu was never like that, even though he was not my real father._

_Where is my real father? Is he like Greg's father? Was that why I hatched all alone; because my father did not care? Does that mean I was intentionally abandoned?_

The thought was horrible, but it dwelled on Lucario's mind. Could it really be that he was unwanted? He clutched the Poké Ball in his paws a little tighter.

_The broken Poké Ball,_ _an object signifying freedom. A Poké Ball holds a Pokémon within and represents the bond they share with a human partner. I guess there are many Pokémon who would want to be with humans, but there are many more that prefer to remain unbounded. Either way, Eevee chose to escape, and she did, successfully breaking that bond. I'm happy for her._

The higher he hiked up the mountain, the colder it got. He rarely went out in the mountaintop at night because of this, but he supposed it was kind of nice to have the cold wind blow against his fur. It was rather refreshing, and he had his scarf to warm him up.

A few more minutes later, he realised that he was very hungry. The last time he ate was at the bakery, where he devoured the croissant with Oran jam. This concerned him though. Back when he was a homeless Riolu, he could go for a long period of time without food, and the only food he had then were small berries.

Maybe the abundance of food available in the cave had weakened him. He was now used to having regular meals each day to the point where a sudden change in schedule would discomfort him. Or maybe he just needed more food to sustain his bigger form.

Thoughts of training resurfaced as he reached the summit, but they were all dispelled when he saw Absol sleeping on the ground besides a rock. His eyes darted to the entrance of the cave and he groaned when he discovered that it was sealed.

Of course, Absol had to rely on Lucario to open and close the entrance. It was a mistake to let him leave first.

Lucario sidled up nervously and poked the sleeping Absol. The lethargic Pokémon stirred and woke, looking straight up at Lucario groggily. He then stood up quickly when he realised that the Aura Pokémon had returned.

"Welcome back! I've been waiting!" he greeted cheerfully.

"Absol-sir… I'm sorry; I forgot that you can't get in without me."

"Nah, it's okay. I forgot too. Now let's get inside."

"You're… not mad?" he asked hopefully.

"Of course not!" His eyes fell onto the object that Lucario was holding. "Hey… what is that Poké Ball doing in your paw?"

"Oh, this. Eevee managed to break free. She broke this, and allowed me to keep it." Lucario planned to place it in the crate with Julie's paper plane.

"She was released, huh…" Absol said softly. "Well, let's go!"

Absol ran up to the entrance and waited. He seemed so full of energy, always maintaining that cheerful face. Lucario, however, thought back to Eevee's words. Could this joyous Pokémon have escaped the clutches of a terrible human partner? Then again, he claimed he was just a roommate, and that he had never been captured.

_One day_, Lucario thought to himself as he proceeded forward, _one day, I'm sure I'll find out the answers. But now…_

He closed his eyes and raised his arms, unsealing the entrance. He then beckoned Absol to join him as he retreated back to the comforts of the cave.

_Now, it's time to sleep… after I eat, of course._

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Next time, on I Am Lucario…

"_Living together like this… there's bound to be disagreements, right?"_

The next chapter is rather large, so I might split it into two parts, just like what I did with the first chapter (Existence). It should be up in two weeks, around the first week of July. I don't really like the way Chapter 5 turned out, but hopefully I'll be able to fix it up a little before I submit it.


	5. i i i i i

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon

Hello, everyone! I've decided not to split this chapter after all; instead, I'll split the next – it somehow ended up longer than this one. So, here's chapter five in its entirety.

In response to **Anonymous1**; you don't have to apologise! It doesn't matter at all that you're an anonymous reviewer; it's just that I couldn't reply to you by PM, so I wasn't able to thank you (and all the other anonymous reviewers) personally. I appreciate your support; thank you very much for reading and reviewing all this while!

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

The half-moon hung overhead, casting its glow onto the building like a celestial spotlight. The dim moonlight was not the only source of illumination in the street that night, for an Infernape stood by his trainer at the sidewalk, his radiant flame greatly lighting his immediate surroundings.

The boy, Zack, looked upwards, checking if there was anyone poking their heads out of the window, perhaps searching for him. The Infernape glanced up too, following his master's gaze. Seeing nothing, he yawned widely.

"Oh, you're getting tired? I'm sorry," Zack said, patting the Infernape on his shoulders. Infernape shook his head and smiled.

"Hey, think they are still mad at us?" Zack asked, gesturing upwards at the apartment.

Infernape merely shrugged.

"Well, we got to go back at one point," he said gloomily. "And they said the seventh floor is the luckiest." He scoffed, kicking a pebble off the pavement. "But I guess that's what we get when we share a whole apartment with four others. Living together like this… there's bound to be disagreements, right?"

Zack continued, "I wonder if they are taking revenge by destroying my room… but I locked it, I think. Hey, Flaze, did I lock my room?"

Flaze, the Infernape, seemed to be in deep thought. Then he turned to Zack and shrugged again. The boy cursed.

"I can't remember… argh… did I or did I not?" Zack scratched his head furiously, trying his hardest to recall. "I'll be in deep trouble if I didn't lock it… they'll wreck my stuff…"

Flaze sniggered. Zack turned on him and shoved the Infernape playfully.

"Think it's funny, do you?"

Flaze laughed a little harder, holding onto his sides. After a while, Zack too started chortling, their laughter echoing through the otherwise silent street.

"I guess it _was _funny, after all… their faces were priceless. And – and – did you hear Duke's scream?" Zack said, guffawing. "Who knew he could scream like that?"

The two continued laughing for a while. Zack then sighed. "But I guess we shouldn't practise Flamethrower in the living room anymore. If we burn their laundry again, they'll probably ask us to compensate."

Flaze nodded, grunting.

"Ah well," the boy said finally, looking up once more. "I think it's time to go back and face the music."

He took a few steps towards the apartment with Flaze following closely behind him. Zack stopped suddenly and turned to the Infernape, a mischievous grin on his face.

"You know what? You can go in first."

Zack quickly wheeled behind the fire Pokémon and began pushing the indignant Infernape. Flaze yelled in protest, trying to move away, but Zack continued shoving while laughing his head off.

Meanwhile, Lucario was standing a distance away, at the corner of the street. He had been observing the strange pair for some time now.

"Housemates… hmm…"

The Aura Pokémon then leapt away, running back to the forest with his arms flying behind like the tails of the scarf. It was late now. There would be more time tomorrow to see how the residents at floor number seven cope with living in such a packed environment. He grinned, thinking of all the mayhem that would probably ensue.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Five: i i i i i**__

"_We are all in this together… unfortunately."_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"This is boring," Absol complained.

Lucario and Absol were at the apartment's ground floor lobby, where visitors were allowed to sit. Like Tomorrow Inn, there were several sofas along with tons of magazines for reading pleasure. Both of them were occupying the sofa at the corner, with Lucario trying to see what was happening on the seventh floor. Absol, on the other hand, couldn't see, and was spending time looking at the pictures in the magazines (he couldn't read).

"I'm sorry. I guess it must be boring for you since you can't use aura vision," Lucario said, his eyes still closed. "Maybe one day, when I develop my skills more, I can project what I see to you."

"Oh, wow," Absol said, impressed. "You can do that?"

"Maybe."

Upstairs, three people were sitting round a table, eating. There was a tall man sporting a mini pompadour and a black leather jacket, a lovely lady with long golden hair, and a younger girl in a school uniform. Zack seemed to be missing.

"Hey," the man with the pompadour said roughly, his mouth full with bread, "shouldn't we get the kid to pay up?"

"Oh, Duke," the lady said, sighing. "Give it a break. He didn't blame you when you kept him up all night with your loud music, making him late for his exams the next day. Come to think of it, you kept me up all night too." She gave Duke a piercing glare. "A woman needs her beauty sleep, you know."

"You and your beauty sleep," Duke said, snorting. "You don't look any prettier to me. You sleep like a Slaking, and look like one too."

The woman rose to her feet, slamming the table with one fist. "You dare —?"

Duke returned her glare, completely unfazed by her fury. "Yes, Lisa, I dare!"

Just then, a Linoone came running by. It jumped up and wrapped itself around Lisa's neck, like a furry scarf. Lisa then smiled smugly.

"You're not worth picking a fight with," she said icily to Duke. "Young Zack may be clueless, but at least he has manners. Now excuse me, I am running late. My darling Linoone is kind enough to remind me, unlike some people. Isn't that right, Linoone?"

She scratched the Pokémon's head. Linoone closed his eyes and smiled lazily, enjoying the attention.

"Well, goodbye!" she said, heading out.

"Hmph. Show-off. She only keeps that Linoone because it's not common in these parts." Duke grunted and returned back to his sandwich. The girl in the uniform looked frightened, being left alone with the man. Duke seemed to notice this.

"What's the matter?" he asked, staring at the girl.

"N–nothing! I… I'm late for school," she said, getting up. "Excuse me."

She scooted off like a frightened Buneary, leaving Duke all to himself.

"But you haven't finished your breakfast yet! There's still plenty of time!" he called out after her. The girl was gone, however. Duke shrugged, eyeing the girl's plate. "Oh well, I can have her share then."

And he continued his food once more.

"You know, Lucario…"

Lucario opened his eyes and peered round. Absol was scrutinising his scarf, which was wrapped firmly around his neck.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering," Absol said, raising a paw and pointing at the knot tied behind Lucario's neck. "Why do you tie it at the back, and not at the front?"

Lucario touched the scarf, puzzled. "Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean… I usually see people wearing scarves with the knot tied at the front, and the two floppy ends hanging down their chest. But you," he pointed at Lucario's back, "you tie them at the back. Isn't it easier to tie from the front?"

An open magazine on the table caught Lucario's eye. He edged closer and saw that it had pictures of women and men wearing scarves. Perhaps this was what prompted Absol to raise the question. He scratched his head, recalling back to the day the scarf was given to him.

"I… never thought about it," he said slowly. "But my father was the one who taught me how to tie my scarf."

He remembered Xatu tying it from the back. Xatu did not explain, and he, as a Riolu, did not ask.

"I have no idea." He looked down at his chest. "But maybe… it's because of my spike," he said uncertainly, gently touching the sharp protrusion.

"Your spike?"

"If the tails were hanging over my chest, there might be a chance that the spike would tear a hole in the scarf."

Lucario thought it was a lame excuse, but Absol seemed to accept it without question. The dark-type readjusted himself on the sofa, a bored expression on his face. Lucario shifted his feet guiltily.

"I'm sorry," he apologised again. "We'll be off soon."

"That's okay," Absol said, reclining. "I think I'll take a nap."

Just then, Duke walked by the lobby, swinging a set of keys on his finger. He had donned a pair of sunglasses, and was whistling loudly. Lucario remembered that he was the last of the occupants in the seventh floor to leave.

Lucario got up on his feet, his eyes firmly locked on his target. "Okay, Absol-sir, let's go!"

"Huh? What?" Absol sputtered out, glancing around. "That's your target this time?" he asked sceptically, eyeing Duke's pompadour.

"This time, there's a whole bunch of them, all living together," Lucario replied cheerfully, observing Duke as he stopped to chat with a man at the front entrance. "They're a ragtag bunch, really. I think it's interesting how a diverse bunch can stay under one roof."

"You mean like us?" Absol enquired, peering at Lucario inquisitively.

"You think we're very different?" Lucario asked, surprised. "I thought we are quite similar, actually."

With a wave of his hand, Duke bid the other man goodbye and left through the door. Lucario slowly walked out while Absol padded softly behind him.

"In what ways are we similar?" Absol asked. Lucario's statement seemed to have raised the dark-type's curiosity.

"Um, well…" Lucario hesitated. The first similarity he thought of was the fact that they both seemed to have been through a painful event: Lucario with the death of Xatu, and Absol with whatever secret ordeal he had been hiding. He decided not to mention that, and instead, rummaged his mind for another resemblance.

"Um, we're both Pokémon…" Lucario said, after much consideration.

Absol rolled his eyes. "Oh, gee, I never knew that. And I guess we both have a head, a body –"

"Yeah," Lucario said excitedly, "and a tail too!" He waved his own around rhythmically behind him.

Seeing Absol's incredulous stare, he quickly changed the topic. "Seems like my target is getting on a bike," he said, watching Duke put on a helmet. He was standing next to a majestic motorbike which was coloured in black, just like the man's apparel.

"How are we going to keep up with him now?" Lucario pondered.

Duke inserted the key into the slot and twisted it. The vehicle whirred loudly as he climbed aboard, gripping the handlebars tightly. He lifted his legs off the ground and scooted off… slowly.

"Well, I guess that's your question answered," Absol commented.

Duke was driving along at a leisurely pace, to the point where Lucario thought it might have been quicker if Duke had walked instead. The two Pokémon strolled behind the motorcycle, acting as inconspicuous as they could. Lucario was afraid Duke might see them through his bike's mirrors, but the man was driving with his eyes on the road straight ahead. His head was bobbing up and down slightly, perhaps to a tune only he could hear.

"Somehow, I thought he would be a lot faster," Lucario said blankly.

Absol nodded. "Guess we can't judge a book by its cover."

Lucario eyed Absol in puzzlement. "But Duke isn't a book."

"It's just an expression, Luc!" Absol said exasperatedly.

Despite the tremendously low speed that Duke was driving at, they reached his destination shortly enough. It was a school located nearby. Duke drove in through the front gate, giving a small salute to the guard as he scooted past. A few students caught sight of him and waved cheerfully.

"Come on, Absol. Let's go in. Maybe Duke is here to pick his kid or something."

"Really?" Absol said doubtfully, looking into the wide compound. "I don't think school's out yet. Plus… there's a lot of people there…"

"Either way, let's head in!" Lucario said animatedly. "I always wanted to go to school to see what it's like."

"Somehow, I'm not sure if we're allowed in…"

Ignoring Absol's pessimistic remark, Lucario walked boldly towards the gate, as though he had every right to enter the school compound. Absol brought up the rear, not as confident.

Unfortunately for the duo, they were halted by the guard. The tall, thin man in a blue uniform ran out from the guardhouse, calling to the two intruders. Several students who were walking by stopped to stare. Lucario paused in his tracks and shot the guard a quizzical look.

"Pokémon are not allowed within the school building!" he said firmly, though his facial expression suggested that he was afraid of Lucario.

Lucario raised a paw and pointed at a bunch of Starly hopping around the grass within the school compound.

"But… but they _flew_ in, I can't really do anything about them. And they are on the grounds, not within the building itself, so… A–anyway, if I let you in, you'll probably sneak around into the building and cause trouble, won't you?"

Lucario shook his head quickly and looked up at the man with wide, pleading eyes. The guard faltered, readjusting his cap nervously. Finally, he nodded.

"Fine, then. Just… make sure you remain in the grounds! Steer clear from the building!"

Lucario ran forward and grabbed the man's hand with both his paws, shaking it fervently. The group of students tittered, pointing at the amusing sight. Lucario released his grip and dashed inside with Absol before the guard changed his mind. As the guard walked back to his post, looking sheepish, he mumbled, "I am definitely going to regret this."

"You're good," Absol commented admiringly.

"Thank you." Lucario paused, looking around. Students all around were still giggling and pointing at them, talking in loud voices with their peers. A few teachers spotted the duo as well, but judging by their indifferent stares and amused smiles, Lucario and Absol need not worry about being booted out.

He turned to Absol. "By the way, you are the Disaster Pokémon, yes?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I notice that none of the humans seem to mind seeing you at all. They don't cower in fear or anything."

Absol stopped in surprise. He turned his head around, studying the environment. It appeared that he himself had not realised how he was being perceived by the people in the vicinity. At last, when he was apparently satisfied that no one was viewing him in a bad light, he returned his gaze to Lucario.

"I'm not that feared when I am with someone," Absol reasoned, seemingly thinking hard. "Some prominent trainers have an Absol in their team – which is great; people might think I'm part of a trainer's team. Even when I walked with my old roommate… yeah. Nobody seemed to mind much." He shook his head. "Anyway, I think it's all thanks to you that the people around here aren't fearful. You're a bundle of fun."

"I'm glad you think I'm a bundle," Lucario said, walking again, "but I don't think I have anything to do with it. As I said, it's really hard to think of you as a disaster harbinger."

Absol laughed and scampered forward so that he was side by side with Lucario, a slight spring to his step. "With you, I get to go to places I've never been to before."

Lucario glanced at Absol. His eyes once again had that familiar twinkle of excitement, and he was emanating waves of exhilaration.

"Seriously, I mean it," Absol continued earnestly. "You may not be a human, but maybe others won't perceive us as wild Pokémon when we're together. If I was solo, they might assume I'm a stray Absol with premonitions of doom. This green kerchief probably helped, too," he added, indicating the cloth tied around his neck.

Lucario shook his head, patting Absol on the back. "Have more confidence in yourself."

Looking around, Lucario saw that the school compound consisted of a large square building planted in the middle of an extremely wide space, with several smaller buildings scattered about. There was a big field at the side, where several students were at now, all doing some sort of weird dance. When Lucario voiced this out to Absol, the white Pokémon explained that it was part of the morning aerobics. Though Absol claimed it was to energise the students, many of them looked sleepy to Lucario.

The central building was, of course, the main school building. At its sides were windows, and through it Lucario could see students in classes. Though the teachers were doing their best explaining various stuffs to the pupils, not all of them were paying attention. Some students were staring straight to the front with solemn expressions, but Lucario could see that their minds were off wandering somewhere. In fact, every class seemed to have at least one student giving off dreamy, somnolent vibes.

Lucario peered in at one such class, looking at the writings on the blackboard. It was full of numbers in an untidy scrawl. Lucario understood immediately that the class was probably studying some sort of higher-level mathematics. He had a few books regarding the subject back in the cave.

Ever since he was a Riolu, he had always been interested in mathematics. The first mathematical book he read was filled with many colourful pictures, including fruits and Pokémon. There would usually be questions in the form of anecdotes, and he had to understand the tale before he could answer the question. They were interesting and easy to understand. Unfortunately, the other books he had were incredibly advanced in level – and they were boring to boot. No more pretty pictures, no more stories – just big numbers and complex words. He never did make it past the first few pages.

Judging by the expressions of several students, they did not find it entertaining either. When Lucario was bored with learning, he would stop at once. Clearly this wasn't an option for the students.

As he continued walking, he noticed that one class stood out from the rest. Even from a distance, Lucario could detect some upbeat, positive waves that made him feel energetic. He rushed ahead and stared through the window. What he saw surprised him to no end.

Duke was striding around the classroom, talking at the top of his voice. He no longer had his sunglasses and jacket on. Instead, he sported an ordinary suit, looking very formal indeed, though it clashes horribly with his pompadour.

"And for it to be called a primary key, all the values in it must be… Hastings, what is the word?" he boomed, raising an outstretched hand to a boy at the corner.

The boy stood up and answered, "Unique."

"Good, good. That is why it is also known as a unique key," Duke said lightheartedly. "You don't need to stand up when you answer. All right. Next! All the values in a foreign key must… what is it, Hoshino?"

"Er… must have a similar equivalent in the primary key of another table?" a boy with short, black hair called out from his seat at the back of the class.

"I don't care much for the way you phrased it, but it's an acceptable answer." Duke walked back to the front of the class and practically jumped towards the teacher's desk, sitting on it. "Very good, everyone! Now, we move on to the next topic!" he declared vociferously.

Outside, Lucario whispered to Absol, "I never thought he would turn out to be a teacher…"

Absol nodded, still staring at Duke with his mouth agape. "And he seems like a competent one too."

"I agree. His students aren't as sleepy as the other classes."

"I have no idea what he is saying though."

"You don't?" Lucario was surprised. Absol had always been very knowledgeable on human stuff. "I don't either. Something about keys. Wonder what kind of locks they open?"

Absol shrugged.

"Oh, hang on," Lucario said suddenly, spotting a girl walking with a group of students in the corridor outside of Duke's classroom. "That girl – she's one of the people staying in floor seven as well."

"Where?" Absol enquired, looking around. The chattering group comprised entirely of girls, and Lucario could not blame Absol for shooting him a questioning look and asking, "Which one?"

"The one with the black hair and glasses… her hair is tied back… Oh, we can't see her now," Lucario added as she strode out of sight. "Excuse me." Lucario walked slowly in the same direction as the girl, letting the waves fly by him once more like a strong breeze.

He shut out all the noise coming from Duke's class and blocked out the dreariness vibrating from the others, and instead, focused solely on the girl and the conversation she was having with her friends.

"… boyfriend?" He could hear one girl say, her face shining with glee.

The girl he was watching gave a start. "What boyfriend? I don't have one!"

The girls around her giggled. A redhead spoke out from behind teasingly, "Don't deny it, Yukiko! We _saw_ you, we did! Wheeling a cart around at the mall, together!"

Yukiko gasped as realisation dawned upon her. She shoved the girls, laughing. "You've got it all wrong! That guy is Zack, one of the people I'm living with!" she declared. "Just like you all to jump to conclusions!"

"Zack… the university student?" another girl asked.

"But you went shopping together!" the redhead protested.

"We were buying groceries!" Yukiko explained breathlessly, eager to clear up the misunderstanding. "We would always take turns going shopping with one another."

One of the taller girls gasped. "Does that mean you go shopping with Mr. Summers as well?"

Another girl chimed in. "What? You mean Duke Summers? The computing and PE teacher?" Several students along the corridor stared at the group curiously. A passing teacher hushed at them, gesturing at the classes.

The girls simmered down, continuing their conversation in low, breathless whispers.

"You didn't know? She's staying with him as well!"

"Wow…"

"It really does seem like an interesting bunch you're staying with, Yukiko," the tall girl said wonderingly. "A university student, a teacher from our own school, a… a bank teller, was it?"

"Oh, yes." Yukiko nodded. An image of Lisa, the woman with the Linoone, flashed in Yukiko's mind, and Lucario assumed she was the bank teller. "The last one writes articles for a publishing company." An image of a disheveled man in a brown coat appeared for a split second – the only occupant of floor seven that Lucario had yet to see.

"But it must be so awesome to be staying with a teacher," the tall girl said. "When you have a problem, you can always go and ask."

"It's not like that at all!" Yukiko exclaimed. Lucario was sure he detected surprise in Yukiko's voice – apparently, she did not expect others to envy her sharing an apartment with a teacher. "It's a weird feeling, living with a teacher! No matter how hard I try, I always see him as my teacher; not like the others at all –"

And Lucario now understood why she had been so frightened earlier that day when she was left alone with Duke. It was not because the man himself intimidated her – it was, instead, due to the teacher-student bond they shared.

"– thank goodness I don't take computing classes," Yukiko concluded with a sigh of relief. "I only see him during PE."

_THUD!_

Lucario groaned, rubbing his head. "Not again…" Lucario opened his eyes and saw a tree in front of him. "This is the second time," he grumbled to himself.

"I tried to warn you, but you weren't listening," Absol said, sounding exasperated and amused at the same time. "I thought you'd be able to see your surroundings when you do that aura stuff?"

"I can, but I always place my concentration elsewhere." He sighed, turning round to face Absol. "Guess I'm still an amateur."

"Oh, don't say that," Absol said light-heartedly. "So, find out anything?"

"Girl's staying with the teacher, a bank teller, an article writer and a university student. University student is the one who burnt the clothes," Lucario added, grinning. "Do you know of a university around here?"

"Sure, there's one quite ne— wait a minute…" Absol shot Lucario a suspicious look. "You aren't thinking of going there, are you? Because I don't think you'll get lucky twice." He jerked his head towards the school guard. "No matter how cute you try to be."

"Can't I at least see what it looks like?" Lucario pleaded.

"That's what you say now," Absol said, walking around Lucario in a circle as though conducting a full-body examination. "When we get there, you'll get all excited and drag me into the compound, won't you?"

Lucario raised a paw as if to make an oath. "I won't. I'll just take a look around, and then we can go back."

Absol studied Lucario carefully. Despite his display of excitement earlier, Lucario knew Absol was still feeling insecure. His lack of self-confidence conflicted with his inner explorer – he did say he was a traveller, after all – and while Absol may be excited when visiting new places, there was also the constant, lingering fear that the people and Pokémon around would ostracise him.

"Okay then. I trust you."

As Absol led Lucario through the roads of Ferrous City, Lucario couldn't help but marvel at how much his little friend seemed to know about the city. In spite of his claims that he rarely roamed the streets, he appeared to know every nook and cranny, guiding Lucario to his destination swiftly without a moment's pause. At last, a tall, grey building appeared in sight, and Absol stopped right at its entrance, next to a marble signpost displaying the name of the building.

Ferrous University. What a predictable name, Lucario thought. It was located quite near the school, and subsequently, the apartment as well. The short distance between the university and the apartment was probably the reason why Zack chose to live in this particular area – this probably held true for all the other residents as well, in that the apartment was close to the places where they work or study.

Though it was flashier than the school, the university was by far smaller in size. Nonetheless, Lucario was deeply intrigued. The silvery-grey building consisted of several floors, with a huge awning hanging over its sliding door entrance, casting its shadow in a wide arc. It was as Absol said – he was suddenly overcome with the urge to run in and explore.

"Hey, look," Absol called out, pointing to a small field nearby. "There's an Infernape. Is he the same as the one you saw the other day?"

Lucario followed Absol's gaze to the field and saw an Infernape running laps around a small field. The flame on his head was blazing wildly like a huge candlelight, trailing behind slightly as he ran about. The determined look on his face was betrayed by a dreary wave that Lucario detected, not unlike the ones he felt at the school. There was no doubt about it: this was indeed Flaze.

"Guess he must be doing morning aerobics too," Absol joked.

Flaze stopped running and leaned against a tree, barely stifling a huge yawn. His eyelids began to droop, and he looked as though he might have fallen asleep right then and there, had he not turned and saw Absol and Lucario. His eyes immediately snapped wide open, eyeing the duo curiously.

Seeing this, Lucario gave a small wave.

"Hi there," Lucario called out. He walked slowly over to Flaze, who seemed too surprised to return the greeting. "You're Zack's Pokémon, aren't you?"

Flaze's jaw dropped slightly. He regained his composure and scrutinised Lucario, rubbing his chin. "You know Zack?" He turned from Lucario to Absol. "Who are you guys?"

"I'm a passer-by," Lucario said, giving the best friendly smile he could summon. He did not want to make the same mistake he did with Eevee, and come off as a stalker. "I was there that night when you and Zack stood outside your home, apparently afraid to go in because of some burnt laundry."

"Ah… I see!" Flaze exclaimed, rubbing his chin again. His face broke into a huge grin. "I always thought Zack had a loud voice. Seems like we've attracted the attention of passers-by, have we?"

From what Lucario had surmised from Flaze's aura, the Infernape had a very dynamic personality. He was mischievous, always loving a good joke and getting into trouble. Should the time call for it though, he can be serious and determined. Lucario thought that Flaze was indeed very compatible with Zack, who seemed to share these traits.

"Hello," Flaze said amusedly, waving his hand in front of Lucario's face. "You spacing out there?"

"Oh, sorry," Lucario said hastily, snapping out of his thoughts. "Anyway, I'm Lucario!" He gestured at Absol, who was looking at Flaze uncertainly. "This here is Absol."

Flaze grinned, looking at Absol. "The Disaster Pokémon."

Absol winced. Lucario looked at Flaze in surprise. "You know about that?"

The Infernape stared at Lucario incredulously. "Of course I know it. Everyone does, don't they?" He bent down, placing his face inches away from Absol, who looked positively alarmed. "It's just whether they believe you bring disasters or not."

He stood up straight again and folded his arms, eyes still locked on Absol. "The Pokédex entry says that an Absol is able to foretell disasters. They don't bring 'em. Wonder why people still believe in the superstition, eh?"

Lucario couldn't help but laugh as he saw Absol blink in surprise, a small light of hope flickering within him. Absol needed to get out more, Lucario thought.

"People are fools," Flaze said, shrugging. The silly grin was still plastered on his face. "And my partner may well be one of the biggest fools ever." He lowered his voice and added, as thought it was a secret, "But we're partners in crime."

Lucario was taken aback. "You – you're criminals?"

Absol quickly gave Lucario a nudge as he turned to Flaze apologetically. "Don't mind him – he's horrible with expressions."

Flaze, however, dropped onto the ground, rolling and clutching at his sides, laughing maniacally. "Oh, I love it!" He raised a finger and pointed at Lucario. "Your expression – priceless!"

He got up to his feet, wiping his eyes. "Now I _must _think of new sayings to stump you! You're way too funny!"

Lucario turned to Absol. "But he said he's a partner in crime," he said pointedly.

Flaze burst out with renewed laughter while Absol shook his head exasperatedly. "It doesn't mean that – look, 'partners in crime' is just a casual remark… in a way, we are partners in crime too!"

"Really?" Lucario scratched his head perplexedly. "When did we ever commit a crime?"

"Breaking into a mansion comes to mind," Absol remarked cynically, rolling his eyes. "But that's not the point – I… er… Look, I'll explain when we get back, okay?"

"Okay…"

Flaze was still smirking. "I expect your trainer confuses him a lot!"

"Our trainer?" Absol said, surprised. After a sharp glare from Lucario, he quickly nodded. "Oh, yeah. Lucario here doesn't get a thing our trainer says, ha…"

Absol laughed nervously for a moment. When his laughter died out, an awkward silence settled in, broken only by the sound of the trees rustling. There was an air of amusement surrounding the Infernape – clearly he found the duo as interesting as Lucario found Flaze.

"Is your trainer in this university too?" Flaze asked, pointing at the building.

"No, we're just passing by," Lucario quickly said, cutting across Absol, who had opened his mouth to speak. "So, your trainer is studying here?"

"Yep," the Infernape said nonchalantly, the bored look returning to his eyes. "It's tiring, waiting for him. Usually I wait in my Poké Ball, but… Zack always had the delusion that he'll beat the Elite Four one day, so he insisted I train up."

"You… don't share his dream, then?" Lucario asked tentatively.

"Well – not really – I mean, I do picture myself standing next to Zack, victorious, but come on… it's just an idle dream." Flaze swung his arms around and looked passively at Lucario. "It's like watching a singer perform on stage, and thinking, 'Hey, I can do that.' You see yourself up there, singing oh-so-beautifully, in front of thousands of screaming fans…"

The naughty grin returned to his face yet again. "But, in reality, you can't sing. You would only scream your head off and break the eardrums of people and Pokémon alike. That's it. An idle dream. It won't happen to you – only to someone else. Always to someone else. Without the ability to make it come true, a dream remains a dream."

"That's… an interesting thought, I guess," Lucario said uncertainly. "But, you know, what if you _can_ sing?"

"Then sing all you want. See if anyone listens. Even if you have the capability, it doesn't mean you have the luck."

Lucario stopped and stared. A different side of Flaze was emerging now. He never would have thought that a pessimist was lurking under all the mischievousness and fun.

Flaze continued in an indifferent tone, "As to whether Zack and I have the ability – that I don't know, but we won't find out anytime soon." He grinned impishly. "Not when he's stuck here for a few years – not when we're still living in that place."

Lucario thought he detected a certain fondness in Flaze's voice as the Infernape mentioned the apartment.

Flaze then added seriously, "He wanted to start his quest years ago, but his parents insisted he pursue his education. If he really wants to chase that dream though… I guess I will do all I can to help."

"That's great." Remembering that he wanted to talk about the apartment, Lucario said brightly, "Speaking of the apartment… you're living with quite a big group, right?"

"That's correct. There are basically five mini-groups living together; Zack and me being one of them, of course." Flaze's expression lit up immediately, and he was talking with more enthusiasm now. "Then there's that weird teacher with that wicked hairstyle – I wish my flame would look like that," he said, pointing to the fire on his head, which was now flowing to the direction of the wind. It reminded Lucario of his scarf.

"Oh, and there's that funny woman with her pampered Linoone…" Flaze laughed gleefully. "They crack me up. She and the teacher are always at loggerheads. Hilarity often ensues when they fight. I think Zack enjoys the drama as much as I do.

"There's also that quiet girl – the student." Flaze frowned. "She's boring. Always shying away… I got nothing to say about her. I guess it's fun to watch her squirm around the teacher, but that's about it.

"That leaves the writer then. He's away most of the time. I don't know him that well, but his job's interesting. He writes articles for a magazine, and every month he has a different assignment. I remember once he had to write reviews about food products – he brought back a giant box of food, and asked us to help. Oh, that was fun," Flaze said merrily, his eyes lost in reminiscence. "Every one of us had a different opinion regarding the food. He got all confused, not knowing what to write… heh."

True to his nature, Flaze appeared to enjoy the chaotic side of living together. His eyes shone when he talked about the fights Duke and Lisa had, while he found the introverted Yukiko and the article writer, who wasn't always around, to be quite unexciting. It struck Lucario odd that Yukiko would be shy around her housemates and yet be rather outgoing with her friends at school, but he assumed it was because of the age difference.

The one that Lucario wanted to know more about, however, was the article writer.

"Can you tell me more about the writer?"

As Flaze paused to gather his thoughts about the man, Lucario entered the Infernape's mind. The image of a tall man appeared – the same one he saw through Yukiko's perspective; oddly enough, he was even wearing the same brown coat. A pencil was on his ear, almost obscured completely by his scruffy hair. He was holding a box full of snacks; Lucario gave a start when he recognised some of the products.

"Welcome back!" Zack yelled cheerfully from the couch. Flaze was standing behind Zack, eyeing the box curiously.

"Hey," Duke called out briefly, not taking his eyes off the television set.

Lisa gave a small wave, and then returned her eyes to the television screen disdainfully. From Flaze's thoughts, Lucario found out that she had lost the war for the remote control, and was forced to watch a show she disliked. However, her Linoone, who was seating on her lap, was visibly enjoying the television program.

Yukiko walked out from her room, smiling at the man. "Ah, Tada-san, _konbanwa_!" It would seem that she was the least shy with him.

"_Konbanwa, _Yukiko-chan," he replied, beaming back at her. "Hello, everyone."

"Hey, Hideki," Duke said, finally looking at the man. "What's up with the box?"

"My new assignment," Hideki said, putting the box on the table besides the couch. Duke and Zack edged forward to take a closer look, while Lisa glanced at it with mild interest. Flaze practically leaned forward against the sofa, pushing Zack's head away just so he could see.

"Reviews on various snacks. I was hoping to get you guys to help – you know, like a survey," he added hopefully, rubbing his hands.

Yukiko picked up a small packet and examined it. "_Sugoi_, Tada-san!"

"We're only too happy to help!" Duke declared loudly, picking up a huge packet of flavoured chips that Lucario had tried before. Though he disliked chips in general, that particular one was passable. There was a loud rip, and Duke offered the open packet to everyone.

"Ah – hold on, hold on! I need to write down its brand name – and the type…"

As Hideki scribbled furiously on a small notebook with the pencil from his ear, everyone began tasting the snack. Lucario watched amusedly as Flaze took a whole bunch of chips and tossed them high one by one, catching every piece with his mouth. Linoone, on the other hand, was taking very small nibbles from a single piece.

"Very, very bland," Duke commented, looking down at the bag. "Hey, Hideki, write that down. It needs more taste."

"I think the taste is a little weird," Zack began, "like… a little sour. Are you sure it's not expired? What do you think, Flaze?"

Zack looked up at the Infernape, who shrugged as he tossed another piece up.

Hideki quickly jotted down their comments. "Oh dear, not very positive comments, eh…"

"Um… I think it's okay…" Yukiko mumbled.

"You two need to get your taste buds checked," Lisa huffed scornfully at Duke and Zack. "Bland, Duke? It is extremely salty!"

"Well, Lisa, are you saying I can't differentiate good taste from the bad?" Duke shot back.

"Funny you should say that, Duke," Lisa said, eyeing the man from head to toe in apparent disgust. "It's either that, or you have no taste."

The two began to argue, and Flaze looked on in excitement, even cheering them on enthusiastically. Lucario, however, thought they _all_ needed to check their taste buds. He found the chips to be salty and crunchy – but it was not overly salty, like the one he had with Absol when the white Pokémon first came to visit; nor was it bland. It was just nice. _And I liked it_, he thought indignantly.

"Then there was that one time when…" Flaze went on, talking animatedly. Lucario blinked, looking around. He was back in the present without even realising it. Flaze was going on about another of Hideki's assignment – apparently, his idea of describing Hideki, as requested to by Lucario, was by recounting various anecdotes.

Lucario stared at Absol: he was looking at Flaze with that same dumbfounded expression he wore back when Eevee was telling her tale. Poor Absol. He was always staying silent, listening to others.

Lucario spoke up, interrupting the Infernape. "You know, Flaze…"

Flaze looked astonished. He narrowed his eyes at Lucario. "How did you know my name?"

Lucario had his answer ready. "I heard Zack call you that that night."

"Oh, right," Flaze murmured. Then another thought occurred to him. "How did you know Zack's name? I don't remember mentioning it that night – oh, hang on, hang on," Flaze said, his eyes wide as realisation supposedly struck him, "you are a Lucario – you can do that… er…"

"Um, anyway!" Lucario interjected. "As I was saying, despite those minor disputes now and then, you all seem like a tight group. It's got to be nice, isn't it, living together?"

"It has its perks, yeah," Flaze agreed. "Everyday is an episode of a TV show."

Lucario nodded. "That's nice."

They reached yet another period of silence, which was what Lucario was aiming for. After a few seconds, Lucario raised a paw.

"I think it's time we go. Our trainer is probably waiting for us."

"Oh. That so? See you, then," Flaze said, waving.

"Right. Goodbye."

"Bye," Absol mumbled.

They both left the Infernape alone, no longer running laps, but leaning against the tree, resting. It was time to head back.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

"I want to see Hideki myself," Lucario announced to Absol as they walked through the path near the lake. "I'll go back to the apartment this evening, but it'll only be for a short while. Do you want to tag along?"

"Er…"

"It's okay if you want to stay behind," Lucario reassured, smiling. "I won't be long."

"Okay then. I think I'll stay back and guard your cave."

Lucario laughed. "You don't need to. I'll seal the entrance."

As he uttered those last words, he recalled back to the time Xatu gave him the TM that enabled him to use Secret Power. Since then, he was able to come and go freely, a privilege not shared by Absol. There were three more of those Technical Machines back at home, but Xatu never specified to whom Lucario should give them to. Though he was sure Absol was one of them, a tiny part of him wanted to save them for later.

Once they reached the foot of the mountain, Lucario glanced up at the rocky slope. "Hmm…"

Absol looked at Lucario, and followed his gaze towards the path leading up. There was nothing there. "What's the matter?"

Lucario merely smirked. "Ha, someone sure has nice timing."

Absol stared bewilderedly up the road again, still not seeing what Lucario could. Everything became clear a few seconds later, when a familiar brown Pokémon appeared from a corner, padding down the path. She stopped short when she saw them.

"Hello, Eevee," Lucario greeted, waving his paw cheerfully. "Nice to see you again. Have you been to the top of the mountain?"

"Shut it, Glass-face," Eevee snapped, wiping the grin off Lucario's face. "It took me a whole lot of time to hike up, and there was nothing there at all. You told me you both lived in a cave – guess what, you've successfully tricked me. I hope you're feeling proud."

Lucario shook his head frantically. "No, Eevee, you've got it wrong! We do live up there – there's a cave –"

"No there wasn't!" she bellowed, taking a few steps towards Lucario, who backed away in fear.

Lucario automatically grabbed the tails of his scarf from behind his back and held onto them firmly, determined not to let the brown Pokémon get a hold of them again. "Wait – listen! It's sealed – of course you couldn't see it! If you don't believe me, I can show you –"

Eevee snorted. "Oh, sure, make me climb all the way up one more time! And then I have to spend ages coming down – again!"

"Well…" Lucario said thoughtfully, "if you don't want to waste time coming down…" He grinned mischievously; perhaps Flaze had influenced him, "I can always throw you off the top. It'll take about five or so minutes, depending on your weight."

"And look like a pancake? No thanks."

"Pancakes!" Lucario gasped. "You've tried them? I've always wanted to savour one. How was it?"

There was a piercing silence as both Eevee and Absol stared at him in disbelief.

Lucario hung his head in shame, all the happiness and enthusiasm having seeped away. "Sorry. Though I wasn't really joking…" he added, his voice trailing off.

"Whatever." Eevee pushed her way through between Lucario and Absol, her head held high.

"W–wait! I'm sorry!" Lucario rushed up to her side. "Won't you come in our home for a while?"

"Look," she said sharply, wheeling around. "I only came here because my parents were elated that I'm back, and for some reason, insisted that I come to thank you guys; in spite of the fact that you've done nothing. So, thanks for nothing, guys."

"You're welcome, I guess," Lucario mumbled sullenly, "but I wasn't lying about the cave…" He whispered to Absol desperately, "Absol-sir, say something!"

"What?" Absol yelped, giving Lucario a look that plainly said he did not want a part in this conversation. "Um… he's telling the truth. The cave's sealed using a move; if we were there, Lucario could have opened it for you, but we went human-watching, so…"

Eevee studied Absol for a while with an appraising look. Apparently, Absol's words held more weight than his own. It wasn't fair, Lucario thought gloomily.

"Been breaking into another home, have you?" she commented scathingly.

"No," Lucario spoke up, "but we did enter a school. It was fun."

"I don't care what you've been doing," Eevee spat, her back facing Lucario once more as she walked away.

"You should really try it some time," Lucario called after her.

"I've seen enough humans to last me a lifetime," she shot back, not bothering to turn around. "Humans are idiots."

"You've only been with one human, Eevee," he said, and Eevee stopped. "If you count the father, then that makes it one and a half. An experiment needs to be conducted with a large number of samples before an accurate conclusion can be reached," he went on, quoting a science book he read once. "Making a generalisation on humans based on just one and a half person… that's like me assuming that every Eevee is hot-tempered based on you, ha… uh-oh."

Eevee came bounding towards him in top speed. He barely had time to react when she tackled him once again, though he managed to stay standing this time. She glowered at him from his feet, looking slightly comical despite the anger emanating from her.

"Oops," Lucario uttered apologetically. He turned to Absol, preparing a telepathic message. "_But she just proved she has an explosive temper._"

Absol's look of alarm was replaced by a small grin. He gave a tiny nod. It was lucky Eevee had her eyes on Lucario, or Absol might have received a taste of her wrath.

"Take that back." Her voice was dangerously soft.

Lucario held both his paws up. "Okay, I take that back," he replied, half-laughing.

"You're wasting your time, human-watching. You see one, you've seen them all. Take my advice, Glass-face –"

"Lucario," he automatically corrected.

"– stop wasting your time on such a useless activity," she said, ignoring him.

"You might like it if you try," Lucario said obstinately.

"Do the humans you watch get involved in situations worthy of television dramas?" Eevee challenged, raising her voice. "Do they get thrashed, humiliated, buried in sorrow, or all of the above? Do they provide _entertainment_?"

Lucario winced. Eevee sure had a distorted idea of what entertainment was. "Maybe not to that extent, but I know everyone has a story to tell. _You _had a story to tell too, remember?"

Eevee studied him for a moment. "Fine. Let's make a bet. I'll go with you on one of these human-watching trips. You win if I'm entertained. Then I'll admit that there might be hope for you and your hobby yet."

"And if I lose?" Lucario braced himself for the reply.

Eevee's eyes flashed malevolently. "Then I'll create entertainment of my own."

Lucario gulped. "As in…?"

Eevee jerked her head upwards at the mountain. "I'll toss you off the top of this mountain."

"That's not fair!" Lucario protested indignantly while Absol cough and sputtered. "Why don't I get to toss you off if I win?"

"Too cowardly to accept, Lucario?" she enquired slyly, the familiar sadistic smirk returning to her features.

"It's a bit of an unfair deal, but okay, I'm fine with it," Lucario said, ignoring the look of horror on Absol's face. "When do you want to start?"

"Anytime is fine. Tomorrow, perhaps."

Lucario shook his head. "Tomorrow is too soon. I have plans. How about the day after tomorrow?"

Eevee gave a short, curt nod. "Fine."

"I'll pick you up. Where are you staying?"

"I'm not going to tell you where I live!" she said crossly. "And don't even think of reading my mind!" she added hastily, correctly guessing what Lucario was thinking.

Lucario raised both his paws. "Don't worry. I promised before, and I'll keep that promise no matter how much I want to enter your mind. Where do you want to meet, then?"

She circled around the spot she was standing on. "Right here, early in the morning. Hope you have a parachute ready," she added as an afterthought.

"I don't have a parachute," he said seriously, barely concealing his excitement at the mention of another manmade object. "I would really like to own one though."

"Whatever. Remember; the day after tomorrow, in the morning, I'll wait here. You'd better not let it slip from that tiny brain of yours!"

Lucario brushed aside the insult with a grin. "No problem!"

With one last look of disgust at the blue Aura Pokémon, Eevee sauntered off into the trees. After making sure she was out of earshot, Absol ran up to Lucario's side, looking extremely anxious.

"Lucario, what were you thinking! Why did you accept such a preposterous offer?"

Lucario shrugged, beckoning Absol to follow him up the mountain. "I'm actually surprised she made such an offer in the first place. She didn't seem like the type who would go human-watching, ever. This is a nice chance to rope her in, maybe mellow her out a little." He chuckled lightly. "Fun, isn't it?"

"As long as I don't have to sweep your remains off the foot of this mountain," Absol said slowly.

"Ha ha… you didn't think she was serious, did you?"

Absol shook his head. "With someone like her, you can never tell."

"Fair point… either way, it should be fun. Just the three of us, following around some random guy…"

"I'm coming too?" Absol cried in dismay.

"Of course!" Lucario replied, looking at Absol in surprise. "Why would you think otherwise?"

"Two's company. Three's a crowd. I think I'd better stay at home."

"There's an English saying – and I know I'm not good at them, but it goes something like, 'the more, the merrier'? So let's all go make some merriment together!" he declared heartily.

"Sorry to rain on your parade, but with Eevee around, I don't think that's gonna happen."

"Aw, you're such a pessimist."

"Glad you think so… Glass-face."

Lucario groaned. "Not you too! That accursed glass door… if I see it one more time, I'll break it!"

"Oh, so that's why she kept calling you that," Absol sniggered. "How are you going to break it? By crashing into it one more time?"

"Why you –!"

Absol laughed wildly as he dodged Lucario's grabs, running a good distance ahead. The pleasant afternoon air was then filled with yells and laughter as the two play-chased up the mountain. As Lucario scurried around, failing several attempts at grabbing Absol, it dawned on him that this was probably what Xatu wanted; for him to live the light-hearted childhood he never really had.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

As darkness started to settle in, Lucario busied himself with a small bar of chocolate he had brought from the cave. He was alone in the apartment's lobby, which suited him just fine. Hideki had yet to return from work; he was neither upstairs at floor seven, nor had Lucario seen him enter the building. With one paw holding the bar, he flipped open a magazine with his free paw.

The magazines seemed very outdated, and many of them were remarkably similar to the ones in Tomorrow Inn. Finally bored, he pushed the books aside and placed his full attention on the chocolate instead.

Lucario loved creamy chocolate – the type that would melt in his mouth when he sucked it. He abhorred those brittle ones which break apart when he pressed his tongue against them. He could spend a good few minutes sucking at a piece of chocolate – never chewing. He would only chew it a little when it had melted into a tiny piece; then he would swallow.

As he rolled a particularly large piece about in his mouth, Hideki pushed open the door to the building, his shoulders slouched and a weary expression on his face. His eyes darted around the room wildly as though searching for someone, and he jumped when an old man yelled out his name.

The old man had emerged from a door at the back, holding a small book. He beckoned Hideki over as he flipped through the pages, occasionally using his index finger to push up his thick glasses, which kept slipping downwards.

"Mr. Tada, my records show that you have yet to pay this month's rent," he rasped, jabbing a bony finger onto one of the pages in the book.

"Oh, yes," Hideki said, scratching his head sheepishly. "I'll hand it to you… er… next week. Is that okay?"

"You should notify me earlier if you're going to be late in making your payments," the old man said sternly as he closed the book.

"I'm really sorry," Hideki said, bowing down. "Something came up, and –"

"Well, you've always been prompt, so I'm letting you off this time." The man's firm expression faded away, replaced by one of concern. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, everything is fine," Hideki said, laughing nervously. "Just having a bit of a problem with my bank account; I've cleared it up with the bank now, so I just have to wait a bit. I'm really sorry."

"Oh. That's fine, then. I'll wait for you next week."

With a small nod of his head, the old man slouched back to his room and closed the door. Hideki sighed in relief, and looked around the lobby once more. There was no one about except Lucario, who quickly wiped his mouth when Hideki paused to stare. The man then proceeded to use the stairs. Lucario thought it strange that Hideki would use the stairway instead of the elevator just besides it – the seventh floor was quite a long climb up. Perhaps he just wanted the exercise.

Before Hideki vanished from sight, Lucario caught a whiff of uneasiness wafting from him. At first, Lucario thought it might be because of the confrontation he had about his rent, but that did not appear to be the case. The article writer was clearly thinking about something else; something that happened not too long ago.

Lucario quickly swallowed his chocolate – almost choking in the process – and entered Hideki's mind…

Curse his luck. He was afraid – very afraid. As a writer, he had seen many things; been to many places. Still, they were mostly mundane stuff; popular tourist spots, for instance, or an interview with the latest Pokémon contest winner. Nothing, _nothing_, could have prepared him for what he had just witnessed, however.

Ferrous City was a huge city, and as such, crime was quite rampant. Law and order in the city was not to be sneezed at, but the crime fighters could only do so much. Not too long ago, an old lady was murdered in her home. Just last week, a bank had been robbed – Lisa was quite shaken about it, despite the fact that she wasn't working in that particular bank. Then there was the series of robbery and assault.

No one knew who was behind the chain of attacks. Victims only described the assailant as a tall man with a huge, black mask made of cloth. His modus operandi involved waiting in the shade of an alley for his victims to walk by; and when no one was watching, he would pull them into the darkness. His victims all had one thing in common: they had no Pokémon. This led the authorities to believe that he had planned and stalked all his victims before robbing them.

No one knew what he looked like, Hideki thought miserably; no one except Hideki. With a stroke of "luck", he met the culprit face to face. While he was heading home, wiping the lens of his camera, a man hastily stepped out from an alley. Hideki looked up from his camera in surprise, taking in the stranger's face.

The man had short and spiky black hair. He was unshaven; and there was a fresh wound on his right cheek, which he tried to cover with his palm. His other hand was stuffing something into his jeans' pocket; Hideki's eyes went downwards to the item: a black cloth with bloodstains.

Just as Hideki had been shocked at his sudden appearance, the stranger seemed outraged that he had been spotted. His brown eyes fell onto the camera in Hideki's hands and a frightening scowl appeared on his face. It seemed as though he might have tried to snatch it away – his left hand had certainly moved towards the camera – but a sudden scream came from within the alley.

The man pushed his way past Hideki. As he did so, Hideki heard a clink – something had dropped. It was the cloth; the stranger hastily bent down and picked it up before dashing round a corner.

"S–stop him!"

Hideki spun around. Another man had emerged from the alley, clutching onto his stomach and limping slightly. There was a rip on his blue jacket. From his otherwise neat and formal appearance, Hideki deduced that the man was working for a large organisation.

"That man!" he cried out, raising a shaky finger towards the corner where the stranger disappeared. He looked wildly at Hideki. "Did you see him? He attacked me – beat me up!"

Hideki gaped at this second man, having not yet overcome the shock of seeing the first stranger. "He _what_?"

"He was about to rob me, but I grabbed his knife – gave him a good slash – he escaped, though. He removed his mask as he ran; I only saw the back of his head – _did you see his face_?" the man yelled, grabbing Hideki's shoulders and shaking him.

"I – I did, but –"

Before Hideki could answer in full, the man ran off, in hot pursuit of the criminal. Hideki froze on the spot. Realisation had hit him fully like a ton of bricks, and he felt himself grow cold in fear. He recalled the man's face again; he remembered the black cloth, which was, of course, the mask the assailant always had on.

He had seen the criminal, and worse, the criminal had seen him. And then Hideki groaned in dismay as he remembered the angry look the man wore when he saw the camera. _He must have thought I took his picture!_

Hideki absentmindedly stuffed his camera into its tiny case – which was hanging around his neck – and started to walk quickly. His walk became a jog, which then changed into a mad dash towards home. All the while, he kept glancing around, looking for signs of the criminal, as though he might pop out of nowhere again.

He should have gone to the police, he knew, but the station was too far away. He had no mobile phone either – he now wished he had followed his boss' constant pleas for him to get one. No, the sooner he arrived home, the better. As long as he was out on the streets, there was no guaranteeing his safety.

And so here he was now, up on floor seven, in front of the door to peace of mind. He had not been followed, he was sure. As he searched his pockets for the key, he considered calling his boss to say that he would be taking the next few days off. He did not want to leave the security of his home at all. Plus, he could still work on his article from home – he already had all the necessary materials. Of course, he would also call the police and describe the criminals' features…

After stepping inside, he quickly locked the door behind him. His eyes scanned the room. Everyone was seated round the dining table, for some reason. They weren't eating or drinking. Zack called him over, brandishing a small, colourful object. He could not quite see what it was. Slowly, he walked over to the group.

"Evening," he said, standing next to Zack. His voice came out a bit weak and shaky, but the others did not notice.

"Hideki, look!" Zack exclaimed excitedly, holding up the object closer for him to see.

It was a star-shaped keychain. Each of its points was of a different colour, and its centre was of a brilliant gold. As Hideki glanced around the rest of his housemates, he saw that they, too, had one. Even Flaze and Linoone were holding one – Linoone was sniffing his curiously while Flaze looked positively bored.

Zack pressed the keychain into Hideki's palm. "For you!"

Hideki looked down at the trinket in surprise. "For me?"

"Each point represents one of us, see?" Zack explained, pointing at each of the star's sharp ends. "They're all a different colour; just like how we are all different. And yet, the points connect to one centre, just like how we are all staying together. Flaze and I can be represented by this red point here."

"Zack sees symbols in everything," Lisa droned, but she was eyeing the keychain with interest.

"But hey," Duke grinned, "Lisa can't see any symbols at all even if it hit her right in the face."

"Oh, stop fighting, you two," Yukiko quickly said as Lisa opened her mouth to retort. She ran her hands around the smooth surface of her keychain. "I think it's lovely. I'll attach it to my bag."

"Good idea!" Zack said, beaming. Seeing Hideki's bewildered expression, he explained further, "I got a whole bunch of these to sell at my university's fair. I took back some – there's one for each of you; I got a few extra too. And… I kinda lost some," he added shamefacedly.

"In other words, Zack couldn't sell these, and thought it was a waste to throw them away." Lisa held up her keychain high and grinned at Zack. "Right?"

"Oh, no, the fair hasn't even started yet – oh, shut up, you," Zack shot at Flaze, who was laughing loudly at Lisa's remark.

Hideki patted Zack on the shoulder. "Thanks," he said, managing a small smile. "I'll put it on my camera case, along with my other keychain."

Hideki grabbed a hold of his case and felt around for the other keychain. As he was very attached to his camera, Hideki was always paranoid about misplacing it. Thus, he hooked a tiny keychain on its case, detailing his name and address. In the event that he lost it, there was a chance that it would still be returned by someone.

But something was not right. Panic began welling up in him – the cold fear from earlier had returned, for the keychain was not there. As he pondered where it could be, he recalled hearing a faint clink from the time the assailant bumped into him. He moaned in despair. He should have known – cloths do not make a clink when they drop to the ground! He was in deep, deep trouble…

And trouble seemed to be quite near, Lucario thought frantically. He had not noticed at first, since his mind was with Hideki, but another man had entered the building. The stranger was now proceeding to the seventh floor by elevator, all the while examining a small keychain. A large Houndoom was at his side, his sharp eyes on the counter that displayed the floor they were currently on.

Lucario watched helplessly as the red number changed from a four to a five… then to six… and finally, with a ding, the door opened on floor seven. Both of them got out, and the man looked around in mild curiosity. He had expected many rooms, but it looked like floor seven consisted of only four rooms. Three of them were clearly storerooms, based on a little plate stuck to the doors. He could hear some sort of sound coming from behind the remaining unlabelled door. He took in a deep breath and glanced down at Houndoom. The mighty black Pokémon was baring its fangs, raring to go.

Everything was ready. He turned back to the door. Everything will vanish… everything will break… He held up three fingers and looked at the Houndoom knowingly. _Three_…

Lucario got up and dashed to the door where the old man was earlier. He began pounding on it furiously with both paws, not really caring if he tore it down.

_Two_…

It was certainly taking a long time for him to answer, Lucario thought desperately. Perhaps he was in the bathroom?

_One_…

Finally, the door opened just a smidge. In the small crack, Lucario could make out the thick, black rims of the old man's glasses. He was peering at Lucario warily, emitting faint traces of fear. Lucario could hardly blame him – he had acted perhaps a bit too rowdily, but this was an emergency.

_Zero_.

Fire. A fire in the night. Lucario's immediate thought was that Xatu's predicted disaster had started to unfold, and the same panic that filled Hideki was now building up within him. It took a moment for him to regain composure, and when he did, he saw that the door was opened a little wider now. The old man was staring at Lucario bewilderedly, possibly because the blue Aura Pokémon had zoned out for an instant.

Lucario began to point his paw upwards while waving his other arm about frenetically, trying his hardest to communicate. It only made the man more confused, and Lucario abandoned further attempts at sign language. He tried to speak, but all he managed to do was distort a few words. In the end, he decided to use his remaining option: telepathy.

It was a lot harder to use telepathy in a panicked state, and though the word 'Fire' was on his mind, he couldn't project it to the man. The pandemonium upstairs kept flashing in his mind's eye, disrupting his focus.

Just as he was about to project his message, the scene flashed by again; and instead of transmitting the word, he felt the picture leaving his mind. Regardless, it worked; the old man's jaw dropped open, and Lucario knew that he had finally been able to transmit his visualisations.

As if to support his claims, the fire alarm rang shrilly throughout the building, reverberating loudly. With swiftness that seemed unlike of him, the man pushed his way past Lucario, whipping out a mobile phone. In an instant, he was making a call to the fire department.

Lucario was glad the man knew what to do, for he felt completely powerless. A few people had run down the stairs, dazed expressions on their faces. They quickly made their way out of the building, not noticing Lucario or the old man. The elevator's door was open – no longer operable by the residents owing to the fire.

Feeling that he absolutely needed to do something, Lucario gritted his teeth and placed a paw on his scarf. He then made to climb up the stairs, but froze when he saw two individuals swiftly descending from above. It was the culprit and his Houndoom, fleeing from the scene of the crime.

The man strode for the exit without even a glance at Lucario, but the Aura Pokémon intuitively grabbed him from the back. The man spun around, revealing his face, which bore a shocked expression. Lucario could see the wound where he got slashed earlier that day. Without thinking, he unleashed a jet of energy from his palm, sending the man flying a good distance away. He hit the wall with a dull thud and slumped to the ground, unconscious.

A gush of flames shot towards Lucario, and he narrowly dodged it by rolling out of the way. The fire razed the table with the magazines instead.

"What are you doing!"

Lucario spun around to face his attacker: a visibly irate Houndoom. The Houndoom continued snarling, his eyes flickering menacingly. He shot another jet of fire which missed and burnt the cupboard behind Lucario.

The old man was back, gazing from Lucario to the Houndoom in trepidation. "W–what's going on?" His eyes turned to the burning furniture, and he let out a cry of dismay. "Why are you guys battling here?"

Houndoom glanced at him irritably, and readied a Flamethrower attack at the man. Lucario quickly lunged forward, knocking Houndoom down to the ground. The dark Pokémon sprang to his feet in an instant, his attention on the Aura Pokémon once more.

Houndoom's tail glowed, and he swung it towards the blue fighting Pokémon. Lucario felt the breath knocked out of him as the Iron Tail connected squarely on his chest. Recovering quickly, he sprinted out of the building, hoping to take the fight elsewhere. Fortunately, the Houndoom followed, all the while trying to land a Flamethrower on Lucario.

Once outside, Lucario made his way around to the back of the building, pushing past people and Pokémon who were staring upwards at the high-rise. The blaring sound of the fire alarm had attracted the attention of several passers-by as well, and a whole bunch of them had gathered around. In the middle of all the uproar, however, no one seemed to notice that there were two Pokémon at battle.

Round the back, Lucario noticed a stairway attached to the wall, connecting rows of long, horizontal platforms. He immediately recognised it as a fire escape – something he had read about, but never seen.

People and Pokémon alike were all over the fire escape, but not all of them were rushing down to save themselves… Lucario watched in awe as many of them ran around from window to window, pounding on the glass with their fists. He could hear one of them shout, "There's a fire on the seventh floor! Get out of there now! It's _not_ a false alarm!"

He was stunned. Human nature… The worst times could bring out the best in some…

Lucario's temporary lapse of focus cost him as he was flung to the side by another Iron Tail attack. Staggering to his feet, he growled at Houndoom. "Why do you serve a human who does harm to others?"

"And why do you care?" Houndoom barked, drawing closer to Lucario as he pushed aside a frightened Pachirisu, who had just come down from the fire escape. "Why are you interfering with us?"

"How could I _not_ care!" Lucario leapt towards the dark Pokémon, forming the bone-shaped staff in his paws. He swung it at Houndoom, who was too surprised at the sudden attack to avoid it. As Houndoom skidded backwards, Lucario took the initiative to scan his mind. The Bone Rush attack did not faze Houndoom at all; he was already preparing to launch a barrage of Flamethrowers, which he did so immediately.

Thanks to his foresight, Lucario managed to dodge each one of them, though there were some near misses. It felt as though the ambient temperature had risen tenfold as each burst of fire flew past him. With all the flames flying about, Lucario did not notice Houndoom closing in on him until he was hit by yet another Iron Tail. Though it was easy to dodge attacks from far, Lucario found it hard to defend himself when his adversary was adopting a short-ranged battle strategy.

The blow sent Lucario tumbling to the ground, right by the wall of the building. Houndoom lunged for Lucario's neck, his teeth glistening dangerously. Scarf or not, Houndoom's fangs looked as though they could rip the Aura Pokémon's throat out; but Lucario managed to shield himself using his arm, knocking Houndoom aside.

Lucario scrambled to his feet and grabbed Houndoom's neck with his left paw, pinning the dark-type against the wall. He drew back his other paw, and with as much strength as he could muster, swung it forward at the canine's body. Unfortunately, Houndoom managed to break free, scampering to the side.

Missing his target, Lucario's paw hit concrete instead. Lucario winced, blinking back a few tears that had formed due to the pain. He held up his throbbing paw and saw that it was bleeding slightly now. Houndoom let out a cackle from behind him, obviously drawing pleasure from Lucario's pain.

"It's a little too early to get complacent!" Lucario roared, summoning his staff. His left paw supported most of the weight – his right paw was injured now, and it showed through his feebler swings. Houndoom ducked under one swing and leapt over another, leering and jeering at the fighting Pokémon's pathetic attacks.

"Hah! You're only wearing yourself out! Now, watch this – this is how a real Pokémon fights!"

Houndoom's eyes fell on to Lucario's damaged paw. A smirk appeared, and before Lucario knew it, he was yelling in agony as the dark-type chomped down on it. The Houndoom's precision was flawless – he had gotten a hold on as much of Lucario's paw as he could while avoiding the spike.

Lucario swung his arm around violently – with Houndoom still attached to it – trying his hardest to rid himself of his opponent's jaws. At last, there came a sickening crunch as Houndoom hit the wall. The dark-type let go, and despite looking a little dazed, grinned at Lucario.

Lucario could see blood dripping down from Houndoom's fangs – _his _blood.

Before either of them could make another move, there came the sound of rushing feet. Both competitors turned to look at the source of the noise: those who had remained in the fire escape to alert the others were now pouring down, with a large group in tow. As they reached the ground, they began to spread out like a river to the ocean.

As Lucario was nearest to the fire escape, he was soon surrounded by a whole bunch of people and Pokémon. They were pushing him about, not realising that they were interrupting a battle; and judging by the angry roar from Houndoom, he, too, was swallowed by the crowd.

Lucario bent low, knowing that Houndoom had lost sight of him. Seeing as he was behind an Abomasnow sporting a bright orange beret, he was well concealed indeed. He took the time to draw in a huge breath, and began to take in the surrounding's aura.

A wide array of aura patterns were huddled together, most of them moving in one general direction as the group headed further away from the building. He detected Houndoom's aura immediately: the Dark Pokémon was sweeping through the moving crowd, looking for Lucario.

Lucario slipped between a tall man and his Carnivine, pushed his way through a couple of Bidoof, and went round a bunch of kids. He was now behind Houndoom, who was still in the crowd, searching around.

When at last the mob dispersed a distance away, Houndoom was left standing alone. For the first time that night, uneasiness was radiating from the canine. It was clear that he thought Lucario might still be hiding in the crowd, for he turned his head towards the scattered group.

This was the opening that Lucario hoped for. He growled. Houndoom spun around quickly, only to be met with a sharp jab by Lucario's bone staff. He continued his thrusts and swings relentlessly, never giving a chance for Houndoom to make a comeback. When at last Houndoom looked battered and weak, Lucario rushed up and grasped him by the throat with his left paw.

Unleashing yet another Force Palm attack, Houndoom was thrown to the wall. He fell and slumped, going down the same way his master did.

Lucario stopped and gasped for breath.

"What are you doing?"

He turned around frantically; in his fatigued state, he thought it might have been another opponent – but it was only a Bidoof, staring at Lucario as though he was out of his mind. Behind the Bidoof, everyone had ceased talking, and were all eyeing Lucario with the same incredulity Bidoof had.

The Bidoof spoke again, "There's a fire going on, ya know? And yet you engage in a Pokémon battle?"

"This Houndoom here is the reason why your building is on fire," Lucario grunted, addressing all the Pokémon. They gasped in shock at his words – some were now glaring at the fallen Houndoom. The humans, however, remained confused and unaware. "Make sure he doesn't get away," he added, jerking his head towards the dark-type. "And his human partner is also in the building, unconscious."

"No worries, I got the Houndoom!" the Abomasnow with the beret chimed up, raising a big beefy arm. He walked slowly towards the Houndoom, a mischievous expression on his face not unlike Flaze's… and proceeded to sit on him.

Lucario cringed, trying not to imagine how it must have felt to be sat on by an Abomasnow. He proceeded to scan the crowd, but could see no signs of anyone from floor seven. Their aura was not among the groups that had escaped from the building, either from the front or back.

He directed his senses skywards instead, and sure enough, all of them were still upstairs. _What are they doing? _

Trying not to think of the possibility of them being trapped, Lucario rushed up the fire escape, ignoring the yells from Bidoof. There were still some people making their way down: he brushed past a girl and her Chatot, who was flying around her head, squawking loudly. She kept glancing backwards, stopping after every few steps. The reason she did so became clear when a man and woman appeared an instant later. Both of them wore the same anxious expression as the girl, and were rushing to keep up with her, determined that she escaped first. Such was the power of a family bond, thought Lucario.

Just as he reached the seventh floor, there came the sound of shattering glass as a fist protruded from the window. Zack's exasperated voice rang out from the room, "Flaze! You could have just opened it – why bother breaking the window?"

Flaze's characteristic laugh followed Zack's words, and soon, the Infernape clambered out through the window with a huge grin. It was remarkable how he could seem so calm in such a tense situation. _Then again_, Lucario mused, _he's a fire-type_.

Flaze extended a hand to Zack, and the boy made his way out. Linoone was on his shoulder, looking back towards the room fretfully. "Oof… Linoone, you're as heavy as my little sister… I don't know how Lisa is able to carry you all the time…"

Zack then spotted Lucario. "Wow! A Lucario! I've never seen one before!"

Before Zack could move closer to examine Lucario properly, Duke called out angrily.

"Oi, Zack! What are you looking at? C'mere quickly!"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot…"

Zack quickly turned around and helped Yukiko as she struggled through the window. After making sure that he was not needed, Flaze walked towards Lucario. He looked mildly surprised at the blue Pokémon's presence.

"Good evening," Flaze said casually, folding his arms. "You're looking great."

"Huh?" Lucario followed the Infernape's gaze down to his body, where tufts of blood-stained yellow fur stuck out untidily. "Oh… I got into a fight…" he said distractedly as he tried to look past Flaze. Yukiko and Zack were both trying to help someone out, but whoever it was, they sure were slow. "Is everything all right?"

"Oh, sure, everything's fine and dandy," Flaze said, the corner of his mouth twitching. Apparently, he was trying to suppress a grin. "Apart from the fire, I think it's a very peaceful night."

"Why is everyone so slow?" Lucario enquired worriedly.

"The article writer is injured," Flaze said. His tone had changed now, and the earlier shadow of a smile had vanished completely. He turned his head towards the window and continued, "When the stranger burst into the room with a great jet of flame, the writer sprung forward, as if he knew the stranger was coming. I always thought the lock was flimsy. Anyway, the Houndoom attacked him, and proceeded to raze the place."

"He probably expected it," Lucario said darkly. Hideki had emerged from the window now, and he groaned as he tried to stand on his bloodied leg. Zack and Yukiko were both supporting Hideki as he slowly limped out of the way to make room for the remaining two. "You know, he witnessed an attempted robbery earlier. The criminal came to clean up the mess, or to warn him or something."

"Yes, he did mention something like that. He kept blaming himself."

"Ladies first," Duke grunted from within the room.

"Exactly. After you," said Lisa.

"Suit yourself."

Duke jumped through the window and reached out to help Lisa. He did a quick headcount (he showed little surprise at seeing Lucario – perhaps he thought Lucario belonged to another resident), and yelled out, "Okay, let's get going! Hurry!"

"Let's go," Flaze told Lucario hastily. "Come on, you're blocking the way."

"Oh, sorry," Lucario mumbled, quickly turning around.

"You know, everyone… please go on ahead – I'll walk at my own pace," Hideki said. He turned to Zack and Yukiko at both his sides. "Thank you, but go ahead without me. I'll catch up with you later."

"No way," Zack said, while Yukiko nodded fervently at the boy's words. "Let's all go down together. The fire's not too bad."

"_Shinpaishinaide, _Tada-san," Yukiko said soothingly. "_Daijoubu da yo_!"

"But –"

"C'mon, Hideki, focus on walking, not talking," Duke called out.

"You should practise what you preach," Lisa said scathingly. "And I'm not talking about now either. Practise it everyday."

"The same goes for you."

The two continued arguing all the way down. Lucario kept stealing backward glances at the seven individuals behind him. They certainly were very different. Enthusiastic Zack, mischievous Flaze, good-natured Yukiko, levelheaded Lisa, curious Linoone, witty Duke, and mellow Hideki…

No matter how diverse they were though, they sure got along well.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

To Lucario's enormous relief, the fire was soon put out by an efficient team of water-type Pokémon from the fire department. Not much harm was done; there were few injuries, though many objects and furniture were damaged beyond repair. It could have been worse, had it not been for a few valiant water Pokémon, who helped before the folks from the fire department arrived.

By now, a large crowd had gathered all around the building, talking loudly. Some were even joking about, laughing merrily. With all the light-hearted chatter about, it might have just been one big outdoor party.

_Guess the disaster won't happen tonight_, he thought to himself, clutching his scarf.

"Hey!"

Flaze had spotted Lucario standing alone, and was now making his way towards him. He was smiling broadly; Lucario was starting to think that was his normal expression.

"Heard you were the one who fought Houndoom."

"Yeah, I did," Lucario said, looking towards the street. A woman in a blue uniform was ordering several policemen about. The man who started the fire was handcuffed, still unconscious. Houndoom had woken by now, growling at all the people and Pokémon around him – but there was a definite defeated look on his face. "I got lucky."

"I see you got injured," the Infernape said, dropping his gaze to Lucario's paw. "There's an ambulance here, you know. The article writer will be taken to the hospital in a while. If you want, they can also send you to the local Pokémon Centre to be treated."

"Pokémon Centre! Wow!" Lucario sputtered eagerly. "I've always wanted to see one!"

Flaze narrowed his eyes. "Your trainer has never sent you to one?"

"My… oh… Ah…" Lucario scratched the back of his head sheepishly and looked down at his feet. "I lied. I'm sorry. I don't really have a trainer. I'm a wild Pokémon." He raised his head hopefully to see the Infernape's reaction.

As expected, Flaze was grinning. "Well, you must have had your reasons. The Absol is wild too?"

"Yes."

"So, how about it? I can halt the ambulance for you."

"Um…" Lucario stopped and pondered. He wanted to visit the Pokémon Centre badly, but not as a patient. "Never mind." He raised his right paw gingerly and examined it. "It'll heal in a few days."

"A stitch in time saves nine," Flaze said warningly.

Lucario blinked, completely nonplussed. "Stitch – nine… what?"

Flaze burst out laughing. "Oh, you're a riot!"

"Gee, thanks."

The fire-type patted Lucario on the back. "Do visit again. I could do with the laughs." Flaze then walked away to rejoin Zack and the rest.

Lucario stared after the Infernape. He was now with Zack by the ambulance, and the boy was rubbing Flaze' back, messing with his white fur. Hideki was sitting in the ambulance, clutching his leg. Yukiko, Lisa and Duke were standing by him, talking among themselves. Linoone was sitting by Hideki, gently rubbing the writer's leg.

He knew they were not watching him, but he bowed to them all the same. As he started to pad away, he stepped on something hard. Curious, he bent down and picked the item up. It was a star-shaped keychain.

Recognising it immediately, he headed towards the ambulance. Flaze saw him coming, but Zack was now with the rest inside the ambulance. The old man from earlier was with them too, talking seriously to Hideki. Lucario gestured for Flaze to come over.

"Can I help you?" Flaze asked curiously.

Lucario held up the keychain. "I think this is Zack's. I found it on the ground."

Flaze gave a small chuckle. "The idiot lost a few of these; he never realised his pocket had a hole."

Lucario took Flaze's hand and pressed the keychain on his palm. "Well, here's one. Good luck finding the rest."

Flaze pushed the little trinket back. "It's okay – you keep it. He has plenty extra, for the fair." He giggled softy and continued, "And for some reason, I have a feeling he will still have plenty _after_ the fair."

The Aura Pokémon cocked his head to one side, hardly daring to believe his luck. "I–is it okay?"

"Of course. On behalf of Zack, and everyone on floor seven, I'm giving it to you as a gift."

Lucario gazed down at the keychain in admiration. "Thank you very much!"

**:::::::::::::::::::**

_Seven individuals living together. Sounds very interesting, doesn't it? Duke and Lisa are always bickering, but I think they get along rather well. Yukiko seems to be rather fond of Hideki – I believe she sees him as a father figure. And Zack, he's friendly with everyone. As for Flaze and Linoone, they fit in just fine._

Lucario paused, turning to look at Absol. The white Pokémon had already fallen asleep by the time he reached home. Guess he had been out longer than expected. Shrugging, he continued writing with his left paw, using the light of the moon to illuminate the pages of his journal.

_I think I learnt quite a lot about humans today. When the fire broke out, the people running around the fire escape tried to ensure the safety of all the others before saving themselves. I think that's wonderful. It was this that saved me from the battle with Houndoom, actually – they provided me with a distraction that allowed me to gain the upper hand. _

Lucario stopped again, placing the quill pen down. He raised his right paw so that it was basked in the moonlight. The bleeding had stopped, but there was a mark where Houndoom bit him. It would probably go away after a few days, he thought. At least the pain had receded, though it still hurt if he applied force on it.

_Of course, there are bad humans as well, just as there are bad Pokémon. That man whose name I do not know have committed plenty of crimes. I don't think Houndoom was involved much – according to Hideki's ponderings, none of the victims ever mentioned a Houndoom. Still, Houndoom's mind is as twisted as his master's. _

Yes, there were good and bad humans. This goes the same for Pokémon, he thought to himself, as an image of Machoke and his lackeys flashed in his mind. He then broke into a grin.

_That's why I've been telling Eevee, you can't __generalise__ a whole species based on a few individuals. She's funny. I wonder why she proposed the bet. I told her to make it two days later so that I can watch the occupants of floor seven again, but I think I'll take the time off to rest instead. After all, I think their story is pretty much finished. _

Lucario leaned back on his bed of hay, stretching. He was exhausted, but felt satisfied and happy for some reason.

_The star-shaped keychain – a symbol of unity, I guess. I can see what Zack means: five points, five occupants (if you group Flaze with Zack, and Linoone with Lisa). All of them pointing different directions, but connected as one. Seven individuals living together in lucky floor seven… how fitting. I'm aware they are temporarily being moved to a higher floor; I hope they get to move back soon. I wish the best of luck to all of them._

Locking the journal and quill pen in his aura box, he let out a great yawn. Human-watching was fun, but Lucario found himself looking forward to a whole day of rest. _And after that_, he thought sleepily, _I will show that Eevee a thing or two_.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

I'm afraid I can't find a suitable sentence to put as the preview for the next chapter… But it'll be about Eevee and Lucario's bet. Chapter six will be submitted in two weeks, sometime in the middle of July.


	6. Magnificent Quietude Part 1

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon

Once again, thanks for reading and/or reviewing!

Magnificent Quietude is split into two parts; as such, this chapter is not as long as previous complete chapters. In fact, this chapter is roughly equivalent in size to part one of Existence. I personally think Magnificent Quietude is my worst yet, but… hopefully you'll enjoy it. Incidentally, chapter eight will be the first non-human-watching chapter since Existence.

In response to** Ri2**; yep, Eevee is indeed strange. As for Greg, he will appear again in a future chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Lucario spent his day off roaming around the forest, collecting berries and fruits to replenish the cave's food stock. There were still plenty at home, but it never hurt to have a decent supply ready. He even discovered a new tree situated a short distance away from the lake, which grew Sitrus Berries. It was extremely flavourful, but there weren't many to pick. Still, it would probably grow again a few days later.

He made a stop at Xatu's sanctuary, kneeling by the rock and telling Xatu what he had been up to the past few days. Before entering the grove, he had thought of many things that he wanted to convey, but they all seemed to fade away as he stood in front of his father's grave.

For Julie, all Lucario could say was, "I saw a girl the other day. She hadn't been to the city for a long time; and now that she had returned to pay a visit, she found out that things were no longer what they once were."

Regarding Greg and Eevee: "I also met a Pokémon who was neglected by her trainer. She managed to regain her old life, which is good. She's really strange. I'm supposed to meet her tomorrow."

And finally, "I also met a whole bunch of people and their Pokémon living together. They get along well. It was at that time I got into another battle," he said, glancing down at his injured paw. "But I'm perfectly fine.

"Father… I hope that you're resting peacefully. You don't need to worry about me; Absol's been keeping me company lately. I'm still keeping an eye out for the tragedy you saw coming, and Absol says he'll help too."

Lucario let himself fall backwards to the grass, looking up at the sky. The rustling of the leaves in this clearing had a special calming effect on him that no other area in the forest seemed able to provide. He closed his eyes, letting the gentle breeze toy with his fur as his consciousness faded slowly away.

As Lucario slept, he dreamt that he was being chased through a barren wasteland by a whole pack of Houndoom. Suddenly finding himself trapped against a huge wall of rock that popped out of nowhere, he turned around with the intention of fighting. Before he could do anything, however, he was shrinking… becoming smaller and smaller… he was now a Riolu again. All of his courage had dissipated, and he cowered as several of the Houndoom shot flames at him… but instead of being scorched, he felt his face becoming wet.

Lucario opened his eyes. Several droplets of rain fell into his mouth, which was hanging open in surprise. He quickly got up and brushed some of the grass off his fur. After bowing towards the rock, he picked up the basket of berries on the ground besides him and ran, hoping to get home before the drizzle gets heavier.

Back in the cave, Absol was lying idly on his bed, staring at the rain outside. He stood up when Lucario entered, greeting the blue-furred Pokémon with a small smile. "Hey, welcome back. How's your paw?"

"It's fine, thanks."

Earlier that morning, Absol had been horrified when he found out that Lucario had gotten into a fight the day before. Like an overprotective parent, he insisted that Lucario lie down and rest for the remainder of the day, but the zealous Aura Pokémon refused to let a whole day go to waste.

"It's only a small wound, Absol-sir," Lucario had said. "You worry too much."

Lucario had then announced that he was going berry-picking, much to Absol's chagrin. He quickly took the basket and left before Absol could protest.

"I brought back some berries," Lucario announced happily, indicating the full basket. "And there are some new types too. That should add some variety." He walked over to the big basket where berries were kept and emptied his harvest there.

"That's nice," Absol said, walking over to Lucario, "but you know, about –"

"I'm not canceling my bet with Eevee," Lucario interjected firmly. He turned to face Absol. "That's what you were about to mention, isn't it?"

"Yes, but –"

"Besides, it's only my right paw that's injured; I can still go human-watching."

Absol shook his head defiantly. "That's not the point. That Eevee's trouble. Remember how she tried to strangle you?"

"Oh yes," Lucario said. "Pleasant memories; how could I forget?"

"Exactly!" Absol exclaimed. He seemed to have gained some confidence, and continued speaking in a louder voice, "Who knows what she would do to you if you continue to hang out around her?"

"You worry too much. Eevee should be fine now – or at least, better than she was that day," Lucario said, trying to hide the doubt in his own voice. "She was bitter the day we met her due to pent up frustration. Now that she's free again, however…"

"You saw what she was like yesterday! She's still the same."

"Yeah, well… it's only been a few days. Give her more time. Besides… I don't think their story is finished yet."

"_Their_ story?" Absol said sharply. "Who's this 'their' you're talking about?"

Lucario sat down on his bed and stared straight into Absol's eyes. "Well, Greg, really, but since Eevee was involved, I'm counting her in." _And guess what, Absol. Your story isn't finished either. _

"I still think it's a bad idea," Absol said lamely.

"Speaking of Eevee, that reminds me. I have something to ask you. When are you going to visit Umbreon again?"

"Huh?" Absol was completely taken aback. He shifted his feet and averted his eyes from the Aura Pokémon's. "I told her I would visit one day, didn't I?"

"That's very vague. You know, Absol…" Lucario began slowly, unsure if he should prod the subject further. The waves of uneasiness were radiating from Absol, which was the norm every time Lucario tried to probe into his personal matters. Using the waves as a guide to know when to stop, Lucario pressed on, "Something happened that made you leave your old roommate, am I right? You didn't just choose to up and leave one day?"

"What makes you say that?"

Absol's voice was calm as ever, but the fact that there was a sudden upsurge in the waves, and that Absol was looking at Lucario now, told him that he was treading in dangerous waters.

"Umbreon's reaction when she saw you was kind of a giveaway, Absol-sir."

There was a long silence, at which Lucario turned away from Absol to look at the drizzle outside. A few droplets of rain fell into the cave through the holes, but Lucario paid no heed to them. He was afraid he had gone too far. Absol was clearly not ready to talk about it yet.

"Due to circumstances beyond my – and my ex-roommate's – control…" Absol said slowly, as though choosing his words very carefully.

Lucario quickly took his gaze off the vista outside and gazed expectantly at the Disaster Pokémon. Absol was staring fixedly at the ground again, determined to avoid Lucario's crimson eyes.

"… We can no longer live together." Absol raised his head slowly and looked directly at Lucario. "You are right; I did not choose for it to happen. Umbreon… was merely curious about the details." He gave a big, long sigh. "She believes that I know all the facts – alas, I remain quite in the dark, despite knowing a tad more than most."

This confused Lucario; the way that Absol phrased it, it was as if the white-furred Pokémon himself was unsure of the events which forced him to leave his old home.

Absol leapt to his bed and peered lazily at Lucario. "You curious?"

Lucario scratched his head, looking sheepish. "I am."

"So am I."

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Six: Magnificent Quietude (Part One) **

"…"

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"You're early!" Lucario exclaimed in surprise, putting down the empty barrel he was carrying. Seeing as the light rain dragged on relentlessly the day before, Lucario turned in before his usual bedtime. Consequently, he awoke much earlier than usual, and decided to refill the water barrel before meeting Eevee.

The problem? Eevee was already at the foot of the mountain, looking extremely impatient – which was not that unusual, Lucario thought.

"And you're late!" she snapped back at him. Her eyes darted to the barrel besides him, and a sudden glint flashed in her eyes. "Is that for you to use after you've lost the bet? I suppose it would be funny to watch you roll down the mountain."

"Don't be silly," Lucario chuckled, resting his elbow on the top of the barrel. "I'm storing water from the lake in this barrel. As if I would go rolling down in it! Though… I guess it could be fun…" he added thoughtfully. "But I think you'd fit inside better."

"Quit your yapping. Can we start? I'm hoping to get this done by afternoon."

"Are you kidding?" Lucario said incredulously. "By the afternoon? Human-watching isn't going to take a few mere hours! At least, not the way I do it." He folded his arms and stared intently at the little Evolution Pokémon. "It could even drag on for days. Come to think of it, the shortest session I had was with you and Greg – and that pretty much took one whole day."

"You're kidding…"

"I'm not," Lucario insisted. "Human-watching was only a small, short activity when I was a Riolu, but where was the fun in that? Was that why you were so sure you would win the bet, Eevee? Because you thought it was only for a short while?"

Eevee remained silent, which Lucario took as a yes.

"It doesn't matter," she huffed defiantly after a while. "Long or short – it'll end the same way. Shall we start now?"

Lucario snorted. "How do you think I would look, carrying the barrel all around town? And I don't even have my scarf with me," he added, indicating his neck. "Furthermore, Absol-sir is still in the cave."

"He's coming along too?"

"Of course! The more, the merrier."

Eevee twitched her tail impatiently. "Then… what do you expect me to do? Sit and wait here?"

Lucario tapped the top of the wooden barrel, creating a hollow sound. "If you want, you can help me with this. We could roll it up the mountain."

Eevee shook her head indignantly. "Why should I be doing your chores?"

"Fine then." Lucario raised a paw, pointing towards the mountain's summit. "Perhaps you might want to head up to the cave? You haven't even seen it yet."

Eevee hesitated. She then gave a short nod. "Oh, all right then."

"You're curious!" Lucario remarked, smirking.

"No, I'm not!" she snapped, taking a few steps towards Lucario while glaring at him. Had he not known Eevee well enough, Lucario might have felt intimidated. He was used to it now, however.

"I'm just wondering what sort of sty you're living in," she continued.

"I still say you're curious." Eevee opened her mouth to retort, but Lucario cut in, "Head on up, then. I'll catch up with you later, once I've filled this barrel here."

Eevee nodded again and walked slowly up the slope, her tail swishing haughtily. As though struck by a sudden thought, she spun around and glared at Lucario. "This'd better not be a trick."

Lucario put on a fake expression of hurt, which was promptly ignored by the little brown Pokémon as she turned away. Grinning, he lifted the barrel off the ground, shifting it around so that most of the weight was supported by his left arm. As he strode towards the lake, he couldn't help but imagine Absol's reaction when he sees who had come for a visit.

Carrying the barrel up the mountain, especially when it's brimming with water, was always a tough chore. Contrary to what he had suggested to Eevee earlier, Lucario did not dare to roll it up. The mountain path was filled with plenty of rocks and pebbles that could damage the container, and Lucario had always taken extra care when handling the items left behind by Xatu.

To his surprise, he did not meet Eevee halfway up the mountain as he had expected to, given her slow paces. Indeed, she was already waiting at the summit when he finally reached the top. Panting slightly, he placed the barrel down and stretched his fatigued muscles.

Eevee waited for as long as her patience would let her, and then said, in a matter-of-fact tone, "No cave."

"Just watch."

After making sure his barrel was secure, he walked towards the rock wall and performed the move that he was now so familiar with. And to think that he used to be afraid he would mess it up! The rocks parted smoothly, exposing the secret it guarded so well. Lucario turned around. Eevee's face remained passive, but her indifference was betrayed by the waves of surprise and wonder she was emitting.

Lucario gave a bow. "My humble abode."

When Eevee didn't react, he walked up to her and gave a slight push. "Go on," he urged, "go and give Absol a big shock. I'll join you later –" he pointed at the barrel "– I need to bring this in."

Lucario went back and retrieved the barrel. He could see Eevee looking around at the little holes on the wall, as though they were displays in a museum. She soon disappeared round a turning. Lucario followed a good distance away, carrying the barrel in his arms. A short while later, he heard Absol's voice call out, "Welcome home!"

Eevee replied sardonically, "I don't live here."

There was a brief pause, and Lucario knew Absol must have stopped whatever he was doing – frozen in fear perhaps – to take a look at the newcomer. Sure enough, his cry of surprise was soon echoing through the cave.

"What are you doing here?" Absol demanded. His voice was high and shaky; probably having not gotten over the shock of seeing Eevee.

"I'm here at the request of your friend," Eevee said haughtily.

Absol seemed to have nothing to say to that. Pulses of apprehension from the white Pokémon were intertwining with Eevee's reluctant curiosity; Lucario was pleased that even an uptight Pokémon like Eevee would appear to appreciate his home.

When he finally made it to the room, Absol was sitting in a corner, keeping a watchful eye on Eevee. The little normal-type was staring at the fake bonsai plant, still with the air of a visitor at the museum. When he saw Lucario come in, Absol shot the blue Pokémon a questioning look. Lucario merely replied with an apologetic nod as he returned the barrel to its usual spot.

"So, Eevee, what do you think?"

"It's okay, I suppose," she admitted grudgingly. "Are all these items stolen from humans?"

"No…" Lucario began, but the question startled him. A small shadow of doubt was creeping over his mind: Xatu mentioned that most of his trinkets were either discarded or gifts, but he did not say anything about the rest. And there was all that money… could Xatu have stolen it?

A split second later, he felt terribly ashamed of himself. How could he have allowed himself to doubt Xatu? "No," he said again, more confidently this time. "Of course not."

"Well, not that it matters – if it really was stolen from humans, I mean. Creeps have it coming to them."

"Yeah," Lucario said absentmindedly, walking over to the food crate. He was still flustered for having thought Xatu a thief. "Do you want anything to eat? Dinner? Lunch? Breakfast?"

Eevee might have said something, he wasn't sure; he was not listening. Lucario was awash with guilt. _How could I… Why did I even let that thought enter my head? _

It was Absol who brought Lucario back to his senses. "Lucario, did you hear me?"

"Hmm?" Lucario turned around, clutching a few tiny packets of biscuits. "I'm sorry. Can you repeat what you have said?"

"I was just wondering if you had a specific target in mind for your next human-watching jaunt."

"Ah." He tossed a packet over to Absol, who masterfully caught it with his teeth. He tossed the other to Eevee, and it bounced off the top of her head. She spun around, snarling, but Lucario hurriedly turned to Absol. "I have no specific target. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Don't ask me." Absol raised a paw, indicating the furious Eevee. "You're supposed to entertain her." He then proceeded to rip the plastic packaging open and busied himself with the biscuit.

"Well, Eevee?" he asked politely, finally looking at her. "Where do you want to go?"

Eevee bit back a retort as she threw Lucario a look of deep disgust. "I'll let you decide."

Lucario retreated to his bed with his own packet of biscuits. As usual, Absol had thrown out all the biscuits to the floor, and was now eating noisily, leaving crumbs everywhere. Eevee, on the other hand, had supposedly created a small hole in the plastic wrapping, and was eating slowly and neatly with the biscuits still inside the packaging.

Using his paw-spike, Lucario ripped open his packet and withdrew a small, cream-coloured biscuit. He took a long look at it. The biscuit was the first manmade food that Xatu introduced to him. With remorse wallowing within him once more, he took a small nibble.

The biscuit was stale, but the taste was still there. He had always thought the biscuit as one of mankind's greatest inventions; but come to think of it, there were many other things he loved as well. Chocolate, for instance, was a delectable snack. In this case, it was a two-in-one deal, for the little biscuit he held in his paws had some chocolate cream in it. Cream always added to the taste: he sometimes ate the cream off biscuits instead of eating them together.

As he sat and ate, he thought about where he should bring Eevee to human-watch. Where indeed would he find a human that Eevee might find interesting? He thought back to what she said: _"Do they get thrashed, humiliated, buried in sorrow, or all of the above?"_

His best bet would be to find a place where many humans gather, and choose one of them. And then an idea came to him.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

"Here we are!" Lucario exclaimed happily, pointing at the school.

Eevee looked sceptically from Lucario to the building. Unlike Lucario and Absol, Eevee had not bothered to don human apparel. According to her, she was less likely to be captured since she was in the company of them both (who looked like fools, she had remarked). "Are we even allowed in?"

"Sure," he replied, walking towards the gate. "Absol and I have been inside before."

Before he could set foot into the compound, a distressed voice rang out from the guard post. "Oh no, not you again!"

Lucario stared as the same security guard he had seen before ran out, looking disconcerted.

"You… Just because I let you in once – it doesn't mean that you can keep coming every time! And you've brought along another friend!" he exclaimed in dismay, staring at Eevee. "Pretty soon you'll be bringing the entire Pokémon population with you!"

Lucario patted the man's shoulder sympathetically as though consoling an emotionally-wounded child, and proceeded inside with Absol and Eevee in his wake.

The guard groaned exasperatedly. "Just… just stay away from the main building!"

The Aura Pokémon waved a paw to show that he understood.

"I don't think you were very welcome," Eevee commented.

"Oh, he's fine. Don't worry about it."

Unlike the other time he had been to the school, there weren't as many people roaming about. A group of students were at the field, but they weren't performing morning aerobics – instead, they all seemed to be chasing a poor, defenseless ball, all the while yelling their heads off. Lucario was briefly tempted to join them. A short distance away where the main building was, Lucario could hear teachers' voices coming from several classes, all resounding together like an unharmonious chorus.

Absol strolled away from the group, watching the game the students were playing in the field. Eevee walked closer towards a class, trying to peek inside through the window. Lucario followed the Evolution Pokémon, feeling a little curious as well. A tall lady with her hair in a bun was teaching science – another subject which Lucario quite enjoyed.

"So, Eevee," he said, craning his neck to see what was written on the blackboard. "There are plenty of humans in this school. Which one do you want to watch?"

"How am I supposed to know? You're the one who has done this kind of thing before! You choose for me."

Unsure as he was as to who would be able to provide the entertainment necessary for him to win the bet, Lucario was certain he would not find his target in this class. The waves reverberating from the room were mild; the Aura Pokémon was sure that Eevee preferred something a little more intense.

"Let's go somewhere else." Lucario turned to Absol. "Absol-sir!"

"Oh, right!" He padded over to them. "Found your target?"

Lucario shook his head. "Not yet. I think we should move further ahead. Give me a minute."

Lucario led them towards a tree. As he leaned his back against its bark, he closed his eyes and scanned the school's interior, trying to find a tensed aura. His mind's eye swept past a sea of dreary waves; over a classroom full of excitable vibes (was that Duke's classroom?); through a group of people busy cooking in the cafeteria (he wished he could go in and see…); and finally, to the teacher's room.

Thinking about it, he had never really taken in the emotions of a teacher. He had examined the students long enough to know that they were generally outgoing, enjoying being in the company of others. Towards lessons, there were mixed feelings, depending on the subject and the teacher who taught it. How about the teachers then? How did they feel about teaching?

There were only a few teachers in the staff room: a middle-aged man who was sitting alone, examining some books; and two ladies, quietly chatting among themselves. Lucario was particularly interested in the man. He was sitting with a rigid posture, his eyes sharp and his black hair combed neatly backwards. Based on a little nameplate on his desk, Lucario knew that the man was Gordon Ferguson, the discipline teacher. For some reason, he was feeling slightly agitated as he stared at the books in front of him. The Aura Pokémon dived into the man's mind…

Gordon held two books in front of him, frowning. He peered at the name written on one: Julian Green. Julian, the man knew, was a top student in one of the classes he taught. The other teachers frequently sang his praises, but he never really thought much of the boy. In fact, he never really thought much about any of his students at all.

The other book belonged to Albert Fletz. Fletz… Fletz… wasn't that the kid who always sat at the back, wearing that silly, confused expression on his face? He was never really a bright kid… the teachers claimed his submitted works and projects were decent, but his examination marks were always below average.

He broke into a grin. Well, it certainly seemed clear who the real culprit was, but he'd better make sure… Yes, he must make sure…

He got up and strode out of the room. Once outside, he grabbed the first student he saw, a mousy boy who seemed positively alarmed at the sight of him. He couldn't resist leering at the student. "You, go fetch Green and Fletz from Class 3-A now. Tell the teacher there I won't take long."

As the boy scooted off in a panic, he walked slowly back and reclined on his swivel chair, twirling a pen in his fingers. The leer was still etched on his face, drawing stares from his two female colleagues, but he did not care. If his hunch was right – and it _must _be – there will be trouble…

"Hello!"

Lucario opened his eyes to find Eevee waving her paw in front of his face.

"Fallen asleep again?"

"Absolutely not!" he said indignantly. "I've been scouring the school for your target, and I may have found it. See, there's this teacher – he appears to be cruel and sadistic… and it seems like he'll go out of his way to pass judgement on students who did wrong... He actually reminds me of… he reminds me of…" Lucario hesitated, staring straight at Eevee.

Eevee narrowed her eyes, swishing her tail impatiently. "Yes?" Behind her, Absol caught Lucario's eye, sniggering.

"Um… never mind. Anyway, I think he's someone you can relate with, so –"

"There's just one problem, Blue-face —"

"Gl— I mean, Lucario."

"— you may be able to see through walls, but I can't! How do you expect me to human-watch then?"

Lucario paused. Eevee had a point. All along, Absol, too had been following Lucario in his escapades, but he was never able to truly appreciate the art of human-watching for he could not see what Lucario could. Lucario remembered how he was able to project what he saw to the old man back at the apartment, and wondered if he could do the same now.

"Hang on; I'm going to try something…"

Once more reading the waves in the vicinity, he tried to redirect them towards Eevee and Absol. It felt as though he was attempting to change the direction the wind was blowing; his face was screwed up in concentration, and his aura receptors were raised to their highest point. He imagined he must look quite laughable.

He could see two boys walking towards the staff room; one of them looking confused and the other, scared. The puzzled one raised a hand and knocked on the wooden door twice before opening it. Gordon beamed at the two as they entered, as though his intentions for calling them both were friendly.

Lucario looked around at Absol and Eevee. They were both sitting with their eyes closed; Absol was expressionless while Eevee was frowning. "Can you see it?"

Upon hearing his voice, their eyes snapped open. Eevee was the first to speak up: "I can see something yes, but it's extremely distorted."

Absol chimed in, "Kinda like a spoilt TV."

Eevee turned to him in surprise. "You watch television?"

Absol seemed to shrink back a little at being addressed by Eevee. "Um… yes. I used to."

"Distorted? But I can see it just fine…" Lucario mumbled to himself. "Let me try again." Instead of focusing hard like earlier, he tried to relax himself as he started picking up the faraway waves again…

The two teenagers were in front of Gordon's desk. They both greeted the discipline teacher, and he replied with a curt nod. The timid-looking boy caught sight of his book on the desk, and realisation seemed to have hit him. His mind was working incredibly fast, but his face did not show it. The other boy, however, continued staring at the teacher politely.

"Albert Fletz," Gordon said, looking at the timid boy. He then turned to the other and said, "Julian Green." He leaned forward and pointed at the two books on the table. With another pretend smile, he continued, "I liked your essays."

Julian's expression brightened immediately. "Thank you very much, sir!"

Albert hesitated, but mumbled his thanks shortly after Julian.

"Julian, I would like to hear more about your essay… For starters, why did you choose to do this question instead of the other four? Incidentally," he turned to Albert, "both of you answered the same question." He cupped his hands together and stared intently at both his pupils. "None of the other students in your class attempted this topic – and indeed, I believe it is a tough one…"

Julian immediately broke into an enthusiastic explanation about his choice, but Lucario did not get to hear it, for he was being prodded by Eevee.

"What is it?" he asked politely, despite feeling a little irritated.

"It's clearer, definitely," Eevee said, "but there's no sound."

"You're getting there though," Absol encouraged. His eyes were shining with excitement. "Who are the two kids?"

"The taller one with long, black hair is Albert Fletz. The sandy-haired guy is Julian Green." Lucario sat down cross-legged on the grass and grinned. "One of them is in trouble, I think."

Eevee's curiosity was roused, and her eyes went wide. "Why is that so?"

"I'm not sure yet. Let me try again."

Lucario edged closer towards his two companions, hoping that it might help them to better receive the waves he was emitting. He was at his wits' end; he did not know what else he could do to enable them to see the full picture. He was not even sure if it was possible. He could only try again…

Gordon Ferguson had apparently directed the same question to Albert, for it was now Albert who had launched into an explanation as to why he chose that particular question. "I do know a bit about the subject, and I did discuss it a little with Julian; you know, share some ideas…"

Gordon raised his eyebrows, a few wrinkles appearing on his forehead. "Really? You both discussed the essay?" He cast Julian a questioning – almost accusatory – look. "Is that true, Julian?"

The boy nodded. "Yes, we did discuss briefly. I have already completed the essay, of course – finished it the day you assigned it to us, sir – but Albert came to me, wanting to discuss it, and I agreed. I thought I could pick his brain, and he could pick mine, and if we get anything worthwhile from our discussion, I might add it in to my essay, because I think there is still a lot of room for impro—"

Gordon held out a hand, and Julian fell silent. "You have already completed the essay on the day I gave you the list of questions, you say? And did you make any major changes to it? Did anything worthwhile come out from your… ah… _discussion_?"

Julian shot Albert a dark look. "No, sir, nothing that I felt I should add to my essay. And I didn't change much at all; I reread it a few times, checking for mistakes, and there were a few, so I –"

Gordon silenced Julian again with another raise of his hand. He then turned sharply to Albert. "What about you? Have you already completed it prior to your discussion with Julian?"

Albert shifted his feet uncomfortably. "N–no, sir. Not yet."

For a split second, Lucario caught a glimpse of a smile in the discipline teacher's face. Albert was showing signs of weakness, and that seemed to please Gordon. The man stood up, and it occurred to the Aura Pokémon just how tall he really was – Gordon towered over the two boys.

"Did you bring your essay to the discussion, Julian?"

"Yes, I did, sir."

"Did you read it, Albert?"

The boy cast his gaze downwards. "Yes, sir."

"Well, that's interesting," Gordon said triumphantly, rubbing his hands, "because I find your essay to be very similar with Julian's."

Julian stared at the teacher with his mouth wide open, dumbfounded. Gordon, however, was gazing intently at Albert. "This school does not condone plagiarism, Albert… and neither do I," he said in a dangerous tone that was at odds with the smile on his face.

"B–but sir!" Albert protested hurriedly. "We discussed together – of course there would be some points in my essay that's the same as his – I didn't copy –"

Gordon picked up Albert's book and flipped to the page with the composition. "Sure… you both had the same main points in your essays, and that may indeed be because of your little discussion…" He ran his fingers down the page, eyes narrowed. "But to have them worded almost the same way? And to have written the points in the exact same order as Julian?" He looked up at Albert, no longer bothering to wear a fake smile. "Coincidence? I don't think so. If you're going to plagiarise, Albert, at least make an attempt to conceal it."

"But sir…"

"Enough," the teacher said, sitting down once again. "Both of you, leave. Make sure I don't catch you plagiarising again, or trust me, it'll be much worse than this. Dear, dear, this exercise was merely for practice… to train you up for the upcoming competition… To think a student would even think of plagiarising… What an embarrassment." He glared at Albert. "Never again, you hear me?"

"Yes… sir…" Albert mumbled. He quickly turned around and walked out, followed by Julian, who was now looking furious.

Gordon called out from behind his desk. "And Julian!"

Julian wheeled around. "Yes sir?"

"You should know better than to be fooled like that!" he barked. "Don't let it happen again!"

Julian turned a deep shade of red. "Y–yes sir!"

As Julian closed the door behind him, Gordon gave a contented sigh. It was very satisfying, confronting students who had done a misdeed… He thought back to the look on Albert's face. Once a plagiarist, always a plagiarist… He had advised the boy to better conceal his crimes… but if Albert was to copy off someone's work again, as he was sure Albert would, he would be there to catch him…

When Lucario opened his eyes, Eevee and Absol were still sitting quietly with their eyes shut. They looked as though they were asleep; he took the lack of interruption as a good sign.

"So, did I succeed this time?" he enquired brightly.

"You're a lousy substitute for a television, Lucario," Eevee said, glaring at the blue Pokémon. "There's sound now, but no colour."

Lucario cast a beseeching look at Absol, but he merely nodded in agreement to Eevee's words. The Aura Pokémon hung his head sadly. "But… but you got the whole picture, right? You understand what is going on?"

"Oh, don't worry, Luc," Absol said cheerfully. "I understand it perfectly fine."

"I hope that guy gets caught plagiarising again!" Eevee said, wearing a smile that was not unlike the discipline teacher's. "I told you humans are scum. If you ask me, the teacher let him off too lightly."

Lucario sighed with relief. At least his efforts were not in vain. "Well, I'm sorry for the lack of colour, but I'm glad you got the picture."

Eevee pawed the ground edgily. "I wouldn't be too happy if I were you though. He wasn't all that severely humiliated. It was just mild entertainment – like those shows they air late in the night, when nobody's watching."

Absol raised a paw. "You know… I usually watch late-night TV. I think it's really something, sitting alone on the couch, covered in a blanket, and…" He quelled under the look Eevee gave him.

"But Eevee, it's not over yet!" Lucario said in surprise. "I'm sure there's more to their story than this."

"Well, I don't really have time to play silly games anymore. Why don't you be a good boy and admit defeat, and let me toss you off the mountain?"

Lucario chuckled, waving Eevee's proposition off with a paw. "You're still talking about that? Anyway, you're a wild Pokémon now – I'm sure you have lots of free time."

Eevee took in a deep breath and began to talk sternly. "Just because you loaf about all day, wasting valuable time –"

"I don't loaf about all day!" Lucario shot back indignantly. "Human-watching provides me insight into their species, and it would be a great asset if I get to know the city better so that when –" He paused. He had almost mentioned the impending doom Xatu had foreseen. "Well, it's what my father would have wanted," he added defiantly.

At the mention of Xatu, Absol seemed to have taken a sudden interest in examining the school's wall. Eevee, however, appeared to be sceptical.

"I didn't see your father in the cave."

"Of course not. He passed away some time ago."

The little brown Pokémon's eyes widened in surprise, her mouth hanging open. She regained composure quickly though, and began to study Lucario intently. "Oh."

Lucario stared back at Eevee, amused. She seemed to be in an internal struggle, with a part of her wanting to make a scathing comeback and another part wanting to express sympathy. However, she remained in the grey area by keeping silent. He turned to Absol. The Disaster Pokémon was still determined to avoid Lucario's eyes, looking everywhere except at the Aura Pokémon. This puzzled him. It was not as though he was really uncomfortable with talking about Xatu…

The silence was broken with a sudden shifting of chairs from the nearby classroom. All three of them turned to stare as the pupils in it stood up and thanked the teacher. The teacher then strode out of the class with a small stack of books in her arms. The students broke into chatter; many of them had bags over their shoulders, and were pouring out of the class into the hallways.

"Looks like the morning session has ended," Absol commented.

Lucario turned to face him. "Morning session?"

"There are two main sessions in this school: the morning session and the afternoon one," Absol explained. Eevee looked around at him, and he seemed to give a start. "Er… yeah. Morning session's for the older students… I think…"

"Why do you know so much about this school?" Lucario asked, curious.

"I've seen it in the news once. You know, on TV. There was some sort of writing contest, and a kid from the afternoon session won. It appeared to be a big deal – they made a huge fuss of it. There were so many people and Pokémon in the hall… listening to him as he read out his essay…"

Lucario's ears perked up immediately. "They let Pokémon enter the school hall?"

"Oh, no, Lucario, don't even think about it," Absol said warningly. "A big event like that doesn't happen often. I mean… the TV crew was there! How much bigger could it be?"

"Are you talking about the annual interschool story-writing competition?" Eevee asked.

Once again, Absol gave a jump. "I… I think so. I wasn't really paying attention to the news."

Lucario eyed Eevee in astonishment. "You know about the competition too, Eevee?"

"Not really. I know the brat took part in it once," she said spitefully. "Tried to win so his father would be proud of him, I guess." She gave a cruel laugh. "Needless to say, he didn't make it."

Lucario found it strange that Eevee would know so much about her ex-human's affairs, but he kept that quiet. He had a feeling she would try attacking him again if he voiced that out.

"Incidentally," she turned to Absol, "it's not that big a deal as you make it out to be. The television crew may be there, but it was just so that they could get some short clips of the award ceremony. You know, I believe the next one's just round the corner – it's been almost a year since the last contest. I think the teacher mentioned it too…"

"Wow!" Lucario exclaimed in wonder. "You even remember when the contest was?"

"And what are you trying to imply?" she snapped.

"N–nothing! It's just… we can go in the school then, can't we?" he said brightly.

Eevee shook her head. "Don't get your hopes up. The award ceremony will be held in the school where the winner is from. If the victor isn't from here…"

"That's all right!" Lucario said cheerfully. "We can go visit the winner's school; I just want to enter a school building, I don't really care which one."

"Fool. What if it is in another town?"

Lucario's face fell. "Schools from other towns are participating too?"

"Of course. From there, they pick a few good ones – those will receive some sort of consolation prize or something – and one winner. The brat, I am happy to say," she shook her head with a wide smile on her face, "did not win anything. In fact, I think he lost his confidence."

She let out a soft, delighted sigh. Lucario exchanged bewildered looks with Absol, who shook his head disbelievingly. Lucario couldn't help but wonder if Eevee knew so much about the contest just because she relished in the fact that Greg lost.

"Just how hard is this contest anyway?" Lucario asked her. "I mean… many schools are competing, right? It must be really tough to win, don't you think?"

"I don't know, I don't care; he lost, and I'm happy," she said in an almost singsong voice. She suddenly looked stern again. "Speaking of losing; you lost our bet, Lucario! Time to face the music!"

"Face what music? I don't hear anything… except you talking. Are you going to sing?" he enquired, amused. "Is that my new punishment now?"

Short, violent pulses of anger radiated from Eevee. He couldn't stop himself from smiling; annoying the brown Pokémon was a form of entertainment he particularly enjoyed. It was not hard to do either.

He wiped the grin off his face and took on a more serious stance. "I told you; it's not over yet. I think Julian and Albert were pretty shaken up. I would like to pry deeper into their minds to see what's it like inside."

Eevee snorted. "For someone who loves entering other people's minds, you sure seem to lack one of your own."

"Why, Eevee, what have I ever done to you to warrant that remark?" Lucario asked serenely.

"Look, like I said earlier, I really don't wish to waste my time. I've already went on an outing with you, and I've seen all there is to see."

"Oh, really, Eevee?" he challenged, leaning closer to her. "Sometimes, there's more than meets the eye." He picked up a nearby pebble and began to toss it between his paws. "How about a game, Eevee? If I win, we continue with our bet. If I lose, I'll admit defeat."

Her eyes followed the movement of the pebble as it flew about from one paw to another. "What game are you talking about?"

"This." He caught the pebble with his left paw and placed both paws behind his back. After a while, he stretched out both his arms with his paws closed tightly to obscure what might be hidden in them. "Left paw, right paw. Pick one, and if the stone is inside, you win. I'll give you three chances, and all you have to do to win is to guess correctly once."

Behind Eevee, Lucario saw Absol glance suspiciously at his paws, and quick-witted as his white-furred friend was, Lucario was sure that Absol had seen through the trick. He shook his head slightly, begging Absol to keep quiet. "Come on, Eevee. The probability of guessing correctly in a round is 0.5, and the probability of getting all three guesses wrong is 0.125. You have a great chance of winning."

"The one on the left," she said.

"Your left or my left?"

"My left!" she said irritably, smacking his right paw.

"Ouch, Eevee!" he yelped, redrawing his right arm before she could hit it again. "Be more gentle! My paw's injured!"

Eevee glared at him, looking as though she would hit him again in a heartbeat. Sighing, Lucario unclenched his right paw to show that it was empty.

"One more try, Eevee." He hid both paws behind his back again. "Right. Guess."

"The same one – your right paw."

He revealed his right palm again; there was no stone inside. Eevee sprang to her feet angrily. "You are reading my mind, aren't you? That's how you're doing it!"

"Nonsense; I'm doing nothing of the sort. One last chance, Eevee."

And he placed both paws behind his back again, before stretching them out at Eevee with a dramatic flourish. She gazed intently at each of them, as though she would see what was inside if she stared hard enough. At last, she tapped his left paw. He unclenched it: empty again.

He chuckled, patting her on the back. "Ah… Eevee, it looks like you lost. You're very unlucky, aren't you?"

"A trick!" she yelled, staring at his other paw, which remained clenched tightly. "You're playing a trick!" She ran around to the back of where he was sitting. "Aha! I knew it! I knew it!"

Lucario reached behind his back and grabbed the pebble, which he had placed besides his tail. He began tossing it up and down again, grinning at the irate Eevee. "You saw through my trick too late, Eevee. You have lost."

"You cheated!"

"Yes, but I got away with it. A promise is a promise; we continue with our activity."

Lucario stood up, searching around for signs of either of the two boys. He took a few steps away from Absol and Eevee and looked past the school's main entrance. Julian was standing outside the compound, apparently waiting for a bus. Albert, however, had walked a fair distance away. A quick mind scan showed that his house was nearby. Which one should he follow?

He wheeled around and beckoned the other two over to him. "So, Eevee, since you are our guest of honour today, I'll let you decide. Do you want to tail Julian, the zealous high-flier, or Albert, the blatant plagiariser?"

Eevee vacillated, weighing the two options. Lucario knew she still wished to end the game right now, but even if she decided to quit, he wanted to continue on his own.

"I guess I'll go with the idiot."

Lucario paused. "Um… which one?"

"Well, they all are, but I choose the plagiarist."

Lucario nodded, beaming. Eevee may appear conceited and malevolent, but he had a feeling that there was more to her than meets the eye. Perhaps Absol wasn't the only one with secrets to hide. _But then again_, he thought to himself as he watched Eevee asking Absol something, _secrets or not… I guess it doesn't really matter. _

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**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Next time, on I Am Lucario…

"_You know, don't you feel that the kid and the teacher are sort of… I dunno… challenging each other?"_

I will submit it before the end of this month.


	7. Magnificent Quietude Part 2

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon

The conclusion of Magnificent Quietude. Once again, thanks to those who read, reviewed, and/or added this to their favourites/alerts!

In response to **Anonymous1**; hey there, thanks for reading and reviewing! Hope you had a great trip!

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Albert's house was one among a whole row of single-storey dwellings located quite close to the outskirts of Ferrous City. The house itself may not be big, but it had a nice garden. Unlike Greg's or Celia's, there were few flowers in it; instead, there were quite a number of miniature bushes.

Once Albert disappeared inside, Lucario took a step into the garden, eyeing a small woodshed situated round the back. Absol stared from Lucario to the shed, looking apprehensive.

"It'll be all right!" he whispered to Absol. Without another moment's hesitation, he ran towards the wooden structure, careful to avoid detection by making sure no one was looking out of the house's window.

Pushing the shed door produced a strange, creaking sound, and for a brief period, Lucario kept on opening and closing it just so he could hear the noise. After a distinct cough from Absol, he sheepishly swung it open and walked into the tiny room. When his two friends have entered with him, he shut it firmly.

Absol stared at Lucario sternly as the blue Pokémon gazed around the woodshed. "Have you any idea the trouble we will be in if someone decides to come in here?"

"It's no problem at all," Lucario replied comfortingly. "I will be able to sense it if someone's coming. When they open the door, we burst out and run away."

Absol did not seem reassured, but he sat down in a corner and said nothing.

It may have been small in appearance, but there were many things inside the shed that fascinated Lucario. Leaning against the wall next to Absol were a bunch of long tools, reminding the Aura Pokémon of his own bone-shaped staff. When Lucario suggested that the tools were for combat purposes, Absol quickly explained that they were, in fact, for gardening.

Through the light pouring in from the shed's window, Lucario could make out what seemed to be a huge stack of dusty gardening magazines placed on the top of a shelf. He reached out for it, but his paw brushed against a tiny box, and he picked that up instead.

"What's this?" he asked, examining the small, blue box on his left paw. He held it up for Eevee and Absol to see.

"That's a deck of cards," Absol said instantly. "It can be used for all sorts of games."

Lucario stared at the box again excitedly. "Oh, so this box contains cards! I've read about –"

"Excuse me," Eevee interjected rudely, "I believe we're here to watch the kid? Why are we sitting in this dusty old shed, talking about human possessions?"

Lucario shrugged. "He's eating. It'll probably take a while." A sudden thought then struck him. He turned to Eevee with a look of concern. "I forgot to bring some food with me. Are you hungry?" He peered over at Absol. "Are you, Absol-sir?"

Both of them shook their heads.

"That's good then. Frankly speaking, I'm a bit hungry myself…" He laughed softly, scratching his head gingerly with his free paw. "But it doesn't matter. So," he looked down at the box once more, "cards… May I, Absol-sir?"

"Fine, but you better keep it properly when you're done with it."

Lucario nodded delightedly. He pushed the lid open and poured out a stream of blue, rectangular cards onto the floor. He flipped a few over and stared at the numbers and pictures printed on their surfaces. He noticed that one of them had a Mr. Mime in it, with the word 'JOKER' emblazoned colourfully in an arc over the Pokémon's head.

He shoved a few of them towards Eevee, who appeared to be disgruntled at having to wait until Albert finishes his meal. "Here, Eevee. Maybe you can pass time with this."

"What do I want these cards for?" she snarled, pushing them back.

"We could play a game." Lucario shifted the cards around, marvelling at all the different pictures. "Absol-sir, do you know of any?"

"I'm afraid I don't," he said, looking down at a joker. "About the only thing I ever did with them was to try and build a house of cards. I failed, of course – it's an impossible task."

"A house of cards?" Lucario stared at the flimsy-looking rectangular objects. How could they be used to build a house?

Seeing the blue-furred Pokémon's confused expression, Absol got up and stood next to Lucario. He picked up one card gently with his teeth and took another with his paws. He lowered his head and placed the card that was in his mouth upwards on the ground. He then leaned the other card against it, and let go of them both simultaneously. The cards fell flat immediately.

"As I said. Impossible. Some humans are good at it; they are able to make a whole pyramid using cards."

When Lucario attempted to build a house of his own, Eevee jerked her head irritably. "Most humans have a hard time building a card house. What makes you think you can do it, with your large, clumsy paws?"

Sure enough, Lucario fared no better: he could not even hold the cards straight. Giving up, he scooped all the cards together and slowly inserted them back to the box. Once he chucked it up the shelf again, he peered around for another plaything.

"And what's this box?" He asked Absol, pointing at a larger box sticking out awkwardly from a dustbin.

"It looks like a chess set," the white Pokémon replied, walking nearer to it. "Yes, it is, but it's been discarded."

"Why?" Lucario picked up the box and brushed some dust off the top. "It looks interesting. I've never heard of chess. What is it?"

"It's another human game," Absol explained, as Eevee gave a small groan from where she sat. Apparently, she was getting tired of Lucario's fascination with human objects. "It's quite complicated, but I know a bit about it."

"Can you teach me?" Lucario pleaded eagerly. He opened the box and took out a small sheet of cardboard, upon which a chequered pattern was printed. Still in the box were many small figurines, some black and some white. Lucario noticed that several of them were broken.

"I can try…" Absol said uncertainly. He placed the chequered board on the ground and took a few tiny chess pieces with round heads. He arranged them neatly on the second row from the top, on his end, one piece per square box. Absol then did the same over at Lucario's side, only with black chess pieces instead.

Lucario stared at the row of little black pawns. "It's like a fence, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I suppose." Absol paused, staring over at the remaining chess pieces, which were significantly larger than the pawns on the chessboard.

"What's wrong?"

Absol looked over at Lucario and grinned embarrassedly. "I… kinda forgot how to arrange the remaining pieces."

Eevee gave a small huff. "Stand aside, you two."

Lucario watched in amazement as she began to grab the remaining pieces with her mouth. With surprising swiftness, she laid them on the chessboard; first completing Absol's side, and then Lucario's. When she was done, she stood back and glanced at the two. "There you have it."

"Well, it looks about right…" Absol said, looking at his white pieces.

Eevee glared at him. "What do you mean 'it looks about right'? It _is _right!"

"I–I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way! I –"

Lucario laughed. It was the first time Absol had incurred Eevee's wrath. It felt good not to be on the receiving end for once. Still, he should help Absol out. "Hey, Eevee, why do you know so much about chess?"

Eevee took her eyes reluctantly off the cowering Absol and gazed at Lucario. "There used to be a chess set in the brat's home; and there was a diagram in the back of the box, showing how the pieces should be arranged, as well as how they move. I had to entertain myself somehow, so I played as both sides."

"You play against yourself? Wouldn't that be… boring?"

"Better than staring at four walls all day."

Lucario looked into Eevee's despondent eyes. Something did not add up. If it was him trapped in the mansion, he would jump at the first chance he gets to escape. Even if Greg gave him the occasional treat, the occasional affection, he would not think twice about leaving the place.

Maybe it was just him, but he found it odd that Eevee, who always seemed to be in a testy mode, had a moment's uncertainty before choosing to leave. Yes, he did read her thoughts at that time, and Eevee herself thought the reason she hesitated was because a small part of her felt guilty about leaving.

_But could there be another reason_, Lucario thought as he stared into the eyes that were looking back at him angrily, _was there a hidden reason that Eevee herself did not __realise? A reason buried in her subconscious?_

Perhaps he was reading too much into things. Or perhaps he should be more aware of his surroundings.

"Ow!" Lucario quickly withdrew his right paw before Eevee could pound it again. "What did you do that for? I told you, it's injured!"

"Why," she demanded angrily, her paw still raised as though ready to strike again, "are you staring at me like that? Are you trying to enter my mind?"

"I was thinking!" he cried indignantly, rubbing his paw tenderly.

"Oh really?" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "I wouldn't believe you were capable of something like that."

Lucario turned away from her with a huff and focused instead on the chessboard. "So, Absol-sir, how do we play this game?"

Glad that the squabble had stopped, Absol launched into a lengthy explanation about the rules, strategies and whatnots of chess. Lucario barely understood a word Absol was saying, but he did not have the heart to stop the Disaster Pokémon – not when Absol was so enthusiastic in his speech.

"So, Lucario, white starts first," he declared finally. Absol moved one of his pawns two spaces up. "Your turn."

Lucario rubbed his muzzle, confused. What was he supposed to do again? He placed a paw above his own pawn from the same column (or "file", as Absol had called it) as the pawn that Absol moved, and watched the white Pokémon's reaction. When the Disaster Pokémon did not object, he moved his pawn two spaces towards Absol's end.

After that, Absol moved a piece that resembled a Rapidash's head so that it stood in front of a pawn from another file. Still perplexed, Lucario moved his own knight.

Eevee scoffed at the blue Pokémon. "You're only copying Absol's movements. Pathetic."

Absol moved yet another pawn. "Well, he's only a beginner."

"Yeah, Eevee, I'm only a – wait, hang on." Lucario dropped his pawn and switched to his aura vision. Albert had just entered his room, carrying a stack of books. Lucario motioned Absol and Eevee to gather around him. "He's in his room now."

"Finally!" Eevee sprang to her feet and sat next to Lucario. "Let's get this done with. I want to go home."

"Okay…"

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Seven: Magnificent Quietude (Part Two)**

"_Shh… can you hear that? That's the sound of your world crumbling down…"_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Albert threw his books haphazardly across his table. He pulled out a chair from under it and sat down, scratching his head furiously. It was homework time again; and what a great deal of stuff there was left to do. There were plenty of assignments – stuff that had been given months ago, but remained untouched. Unfortunately, many of them were due soon.

And then there was that dreaded story-writing competition. It was usually for little kids; the ones that studied in the afternoon session. Why, oh why, did they decide to change the age group? The school was so insistent that a student of theirs win again, so everyone in his year was forced to come up with something. Then, the school would pick the best and submit them for judging. "Treat it as just another assignment," they said. Sure. _Just _another assignment. They would not say that if it were them doing all the work.

He shuffled some books around, trying to decide which he should start first. Too many assignments, so little time. Which one was due first? That would probably be the story for the contest. He needed to hand it in a few days, and the ceremony will be held next week… He hoped his school doesn't win. He was sure the teachers would force all of them to attend the ceremony if someone from his school won… Well, he knew he wasn't going to win it anyway, so he should just write some half-baked anecdote. Or better yet… let someone else write it for him.

Albert peered up at his shelf. There were plenty of storybooks, but which one should he choose? _If you're going to __plagiarise__, Albert, at least make an attempt to conceal it. _Well, thanks for the advice, sir. If he was going to "borrow" someone's story to submit as his own, he should probably pick an obscure author… maybe someone from this city… nobody famous ever came from this city.

Maybe he should take a little bit from this book… and a little from that book… _How's that for concealment, sir?_ Albert pulled down a few books from local authors. _Let's see you spot this one_.

_Before I begin though, I should secure my other assignment as well… _Julian was an easy person to manipulate, but Albert was not sure if he would fall for his trick again. Still, it was worth a try. Albert reached out for his phone and began to dial Julian's number. It took quite a lot of rings before the boy genius picked up, the idiotic slowcoach.

"Hello Albert," Julian mumbled. He sounded disgruntled.

"How did you know it was me?" Albert said, but then the answer hit him. "Oh, of course, you saw my number… never mind. Anyway, I want to apologise. You know, about earlier. It's not that I copied your essay directly, you know, some of the ideas just stuck to my head. It must be a coincidence I worded the essay almost the same as yours."

Julian grunted. "Yeah. Sure. Lucky coincidence."

Albert missed the sarcasm. "Yeah, glad you understand. I'm really pleased with our discussion the other day though; I learned loads. Of course, that's to be expected; I mean… a genius like you…" Albert laughed merrily. "I thought we could do the same with our maths assignment, you know…"

"Mathematics assignment? That was given ages ago! It's due next week, isn't it?"

"Well, yes. I've done it, of course. Typed it all up in the computer, like the teacher wanted," lied Albert. "But I just want to double-check with you… it's an important assignment after all… carries quite a lot of marks…"

"I don't think I can meet up to discuss with you though," Julian said solemnly. "To tell you the truth, I'm kind of swamped by all the assignments. I'm almost done with them, but the story for the contest proves to be a real challenge… the standard's really high…"

"But you've finished the maths assignment, haven't you?" Albert asked anxiously.

"Of course – it was given to us ages ago!"

Albert leaned back on his chair, relieved. "Well, can you give me the file you typed it in? I want to check the way you solved all those questions – I won't copy, I promise! I have already done it, as I said…"

Silence.

"Hello? Julian? You there?"

"…Fine. I'll put it in a CD and give it to you tomorrow."

Albert sighed inwardly. "Thanks, Julian. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Sure."

Well, that was it. It was better than he expected. He thought Julian would have some reservations… he did not expect Julian to be so willing to even give him the whole file. He could just copy and paste the entire thing then, and print it out under his name. Maybe he could change the font to conceal it. Ah, sir, that was a fine word you used today! "Conceal". How nice.

Now, on to more pressing things: the stupid story. Albert flipped open one of the books he took from the shelf earlier. It was a collection of short tales by various authors. He ran his finger down the table of contents and stopped when he saw the title of a story written by a rather trivial local author. He turned to the page with the story and read the first line.

"_It was rare to have seven days of rain in succession, especially in a town like this, but…_" began the story. Well, how should he change that? Albert reached out for the computer mouse and moved it around, causing the computer's screensaver to disappear. He accessed his word processor and began typing.

"_Rain was not common in this town, especially when it had been pouring for several days now._"

Yes, he was doing great. All he had to do was paraphrase a little more… add in a few grammatical mistakes on purpose… they would never find out…

"But that's cheating!" Lucario cried indignantly to no one in particular.

Eevee sat up straight, her tail raised high. "That's humans for you."

"You know, don't you feel that the kid and the teacher are sort of… I dunno… challenging each other?" Absol asked.

"Challenge?" Lucario echoed.

"The teacher kind of provoked the kid into plagiarising – though I'm sure the kid would have done it anyway, without provocation – and the kid is challenging the teacher to catch him red-handed."

"Red-handed…" Lucario repeated the expression slowly.

Absol shook his head in amusement, having figured out what the Aura Pokémon was thinking. "No, Lucario. I'm not talking about the colour of their hands."

Lucario was about to enquire more about the expression, but Eevee cut across him. "Can I go now?"

"No, there's –"

She stamped her foot impatiently, glaring at Lucario. "This has gone on long enough; unlike you, I don't intend to spend the whole day chasing humans. I'm going back now."

Eevee made towards the door, but Lucario quickly called out to her, "Eevee, wait! You can't go out now – his father is in the garden, watering the plants."

The brown Pokémon fell silent, her ears raised. Indeed, the sound of rushing water and someone whistling filled the little shed. Lucario shrank back a little as Eevee gritted her teeth, slowly turning her head towards the blue Pokémon with one of the most terrifying glares he had ever seen. He quickly held on to the tails of his scarf for safety measures.

"Lu… ca… ri… o!"

"Shh! He'll hear us!" he hissed. "Come on, don't be mad… Here, have a magazine," he pulled a magazine down from the shelf, "or a newspaper," he pushed a stack of newspapers from under the table towards the infuriated Eevee. "Go on, reading is a nice way to pass the time!"

"I can't read!" she snarled.

"You too? Um… you can look at the pictures then. Or you can watch our chess match – if you want, you can take over for me; you obviously know more about chess than I do…"

But Eevee merely glowered at him contemptuously and lay by the door. Her ears were still perked up, probably waiting for when the sound of water stops. Sighing, Lucario turned back to Absol, who looked alarmed. He gestured at the chessboard, and the Disaster Pokémon nodded slowly.

Minutes passed, and many of their chess pieces had been removed off the board. Lucario was getting bored with the game; he had absolutely no idea what he was doing every time it was his turn, and relied on Absol to notify him if he made a mistake. Furthermore, the white-furred friend of his always pondered for ages before he made a move.

Absol stared wide-eyed at the chessboard. Waves of intense concentration were radiating from him, and Lucario quite thought it was these waves that prevented the blue Pokémon from dozing off. "That's a pretty good move, Lucario."

Lucario stifled a yawn. "Really, Absol-sir? I just moved it randomly."

Though the sound of rushing water had subsided, the occasional whistle could still be heard. Lucario imagined Eevee must be incredibly vexed by now, if he himself was tired of being trapped in the shed. However, the Evolution Pokémon appeared to be asleep. Turning his gaze back to the chessboard – which seemed nothing more than a blur of black and white by now – he silently thought of what would happen if the man entered the shed to find a sleeping Eevee and two Pokémon playing with their discarded chess set.

Lucario pulled the topmost newspaper from the stack he gave Eevee earlier. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to read while I wait."

Absol nodded silently, still staring intently at the chessboard.

Lucario's crimson eyes scanned the front page: it was an article about some event that happened in another town. Barely reading the first few lines, he turned to the next page. A small article on the bottom right corner caught his eye. Startled, he raised the paper higher and began to read.

"_MAN BEHIND FERROUS CITY ROBBERY CASES ARRESTED_

_The authorities of Ferrous City are proud to announce that they have finally nabbed the man behind numerous robbery and assault cases that have been plaguing the city for a few months now. _

_Benjamin Gibson, a 32-year old unemployed man, was arrested with his Houndoom after they set fire to an apartment in the city yesterday night _(Which meant that this was yesterday's paper, Lucario thought)_. Earlier that day, police received a report from a man who claimed to have been attacked by Gibson. The man, who wished to be identified only as 'David', said, "(Gibson) tried to rob me, but I turned the tables on him. I grabbed his knife and gave him a good slash. He escaped, but thankfully, I hear the police have nabbed him."_

_The apartment manager, Melvin Dane, claimed that a Lucario was banging on his door late at night. "I was shocked to see the Lucario outside my door, trying to tell me something," he told us yesterday. "Then the fire alarm rang, and I called the fire department immediately."_

_Melvin also claimed the Lucario was locked in combat with Gibson's Houndoom, but he had not seen the Lucario after that. A few of the residents reported that they had caught sight of a Lucario hanging out with an Absol in the lobby earlier that morning. This led to speculations as to whether the Absol, also known as the Disaster Pokémon, brought about the fire. Many suggested that the Absol's presence was an ominous sign of the impending incident, and that it had brought bad luck to them. "I highly doubt it," stated Melvin, "The Absol had nothing to do with the fire at all. And he was with the Lucario, wasn't he? We're talking about a man who has robbed many people before. Why not shift the blame to him and his Houndoom?"_

There was more to the article, detailing about the reason why Gibson torched the building as well as the number of injuries, but Lucario was too infuriated to comprehend the next few paragraphs. Absol was right – there were still so many close-minded people out there that believed he brought bad luck; so many who were quick to blame him when something undesirable occurred.

He looked up at Absol. The white Pokémon was still trying to decide which of his chess pieces he should move, not knowing that he was mentioned by the newspaper in Lucario's paws. Lucario did not intend for him to find out.

"Are you really reading it or just looking at the pictures?"

Eevee was not asleep, apparently. Lucario saw Absol look up at Eevee momentarily before returning his full focus to the game.

"A little of both. Why?"

Eevee laid her head down and closed her eyes again. "I don't believe you."

"Should I read it for you then?" Lucario turned to the next page and began reading the titles there: "Let's see what we have here… 'Accident in Jubilife City, Six Injured', 'Investigation of Silver Lane Murder Case Hits Dead End – Wrapping Up Soon', 'Pokémon Poaching Still a Problem – Trainers Advised to Keep Close Eye on Their Pokémon', 'Kidnapped Ferrous City Girl Found in Hearthome – Her Pokémon Still Missing'… Do you believe me now, or should I go on?"

Eevee said nothing, but turned her head away from Lucario. He grinned, knowing that she was impressed against her will. He placed the newspaper back on the stack and looked at Absol. His eyes were wide, and the waves emanating from him had intensified to the point where Lucario was surprised the white-furred Pokémon did not explode.

"Absol-sir," he said, half-laughing, "it's only a game! Don't get all tensed up over it!"

Absol took his eyes away from the board and glanced at Lucario blankly. "Huh?"

"Are you all right? You look sick. I think we should stop playing now… I'll concede defeat." He grabbed his chipped king and thrust it to Absol. "Here, have my king."

"No… you keep it."

"Fine then, I'll place it back in the box." Lucario scooped up the remaining chess pieces and poured them into the box. He then took the chequered cardboard and placed it unevenly on top of the pieces, realising too late that he should have kept the board in first. Still, he was able to firmly shut the box with its cover.

Lucario got up to his feet, which felt numb from sitting cross-legged so long. He picked up the box and glanced at the dustbin. It was such a waste to throw it away… it may be in poor condition, but it was still usable…

He gestured at the dustbin. "Do I have to?"

Absol hesitated, his eyes focused on the box in Lucario's paws. "Um… I suppose it wouldn't matter…"

Lucario looked down at the box happily. He did not like the game much, but it intrigued him to no end. The way the board was designed; the way the pieces were crafted… it was a form of art.

Eevee scoffed from behind Lucario. "Thief."

"But it's been discarded," he protested, turning to face her. "I'm recycling."

"Excuses." Eevee stood up and swished her tail edgily. "Look, can we go now? I don't care if we have to barge our way through – I cannot take this anymore. It's enough to drive anyone insane."

"Just a little longer," Lucario said, taking a peek outside through closed eyes. "I think he's going to leave soon. Will you be heading home, Eevee?"

"Of course. What, did you think I would linger around with you for another few hours?"

Lucario shook his head and folded his arms. "No, I think we're done today. But the story is far from over. I'll head to the school for the next few days to keep an eye on Julian, Albert and the teacher. Do you want to come?"

"Absolutely not!" Eevee said immediately. "There's really no point. You don't even know if anything exciting is going to happen in these pointless rendezvous."

"Still… I'll keep an eye out. If there's something interesting, I'll tell you."

"Don't bother."

"But if, you know, someone from the school wins this contest thingy, you'll come for the ceremony, won't you?" he asked, looking at her expectantly. "Apparently, the ceremony is next week, so the results should be out in a few days. If you hang around near my mountain, I can find you, and tell you the outcome."

Eevee narrowed her eyes sceptically. "You really think someone from this school has a chance of winning?"

"Everyone in Albert's year is participating – or rather, they are forced to. The best of the best will be selected and entered. With that many entries, the probability of someone from the school winning is rather high."

"Hmph. Ever the optimist, are you?"

"Yep, yep. So it's a deal?"

Eevee turned her back to Lucario and sighed. "Fine…" She then said warningly, "When all of this is over and done with, I'll toss you off the mountain."

"We'll see, Eevee. We'll see."

**:::::::::::::::::::**

The next day, Lucario took to visiting the school early in the morning alone; Absol had decided to remain in the cave. The Disaster Pokémon had been oddly distant and sombre ever since their chess match. When asked if anything was wrong, Absol merely answered with a brief shake of the head.

As for Albert's chess set, he had placed it the crate with all the other items he collected while human-watching. He would occasionally take it out and arrange the pieces randomly on the board – he had forgotten their correct positioning, and so had Absol. Perhaps he should ask Eevee to teach him one day.

In spite of himself, Lucario had to admit that Eevee had a point. His little outing to the school turned out not to be as exciting as he expected. For one, Gordon Ferguson, the discipline teacher, wasn't always at his desk, searching for trouble. On the contrary, of the many hours that Lucario lingered in the school grounds, Gordon spent most of it teaching his classes at the top of his voice. Without a doubt, he was a very competent teacher, though several of his students seemed afraid of him.

To top it off, Albert and Julian did nothing much except sit in class; Julian sat rigidly, giving his undivided attention to the teachers, while Albert's mind drifted off into his personal fantasy. The only time they interacted was during break.

"Here," Julian had said monotonically, thrusting a circular object to Albert. "Make sure you don't copy it. I haven't really checked my work, so there might be a few mistakes."

Albert took the CD, beaming. "I won't copy. Thanks so much."

As Lucario predicted, Albert was filled with relief and happiness, but it was Julian's emotions that captured his interest. When the boy turned away from Albert, there was a small twitch in his lips as he struggled not to smile. Lucario probed a little further into the boy's thoughts…

_He's doomed_. Julian knew there was no way that Albert was being sincere with him. He had not fallen for Albert's sweet-talk, and he did not buy Albert's story of merely wanting to check with his work. Thus, he decided that he would play just as dirty – the CD he gave to the boy? Filled with wrong methods and solutions.

After he received the phone call the day before, he began to work immediately. It wasn't that hard, since the assignment was typed out in a file in his computer. All he had to do was delete a few numbers, add in some fake answers… If Albert was not lying, then he would see through Julian's deceit immediately, for the alterations that Julian made were laughingly obvious. For some reason though, he had a feeling Albert would be receiving bottom marks for the assignment… Revenge. He would do it again in a heartbeat.

With the CD in hand, all that Albert had left to worry about was the story. In an attempt to conceal his plagiarism, Albert spent extra effort to change the sentence structures of the original works. With a thesaurus at his disposal, he even replaced several words with their synonyms. As for the plot, he combined the beginning of a romance story with the conclusion of a tragedy; both by local authors. Perhaps Absol had been right. Albert and Gordon seemed to be locked in challenge of wits, both determined to outdo each other.

As Albert typed away at his story after school, Lucario sat alone in the garden shed, feeling extremely bored. He may have been used to being unaccompanied in the past, but now that he had been exposed to the warmth of friends – and he was including Eevee in that – it felt strange to be by himself again.

He almost dozed off when, at last, Albert gave a whoop of delight, pumping both fists into the air. With a few clicks of the mouse, the printer whirred to life, eating up pieces of white paper and spewing them back out with words and numbers printed on it. The boy jumped to his bed in delight, feeling as though a load had rolled off his shoulders. However, what with the teacher on the lookout and the CD with false solutions, Lucario couldn't help but feel that Albert's troubles were only beginning.

The next day at school proved to be long and tedious as well. Albert had submitted the story along with the rest of the class. He watched as the teacher walked around the classroom, his story now buried somewhere in the huge stack she was carrying. He never wanted to see it again. It would probably not make it to the contest anyway, Albert mused. He had included quite a number of errors in his document. _And if Gordon Ferguson so happened to read it… let's see him break through my lies_.

Albert had also returned the CD to Julian.

"So, how was it? Did my answers tally with yours?" the sandy-haired boy asked politely.

"Oh, yes," Albert replied. "Most of it, anyway."

Julian raised his eyebrows. "I see. That's great."

Albert reached out an arm and patted Julian on the back. "Thanks a million, Julian. I owe you one."

"No problem," Julian said with a smile that was clearly supposed to be friendly, though Lucario knew the true meaning behind it.

As the two walked their separate ways, Lucario figured that, for now, their story was finished. He then redirected his attention to the discipline teacher, checking to see if Albert's lie was discovered.

Gordon was at the staff room, leaning back on his chair. He had been anticipating this day for a while now – the day that the students were required to submit their stories for the contest. He made a personal request to the teacher in charge of collecting the stories to hand him the entire stack of works collected from Albert's class, and sure enough, the pile of essays were waiting for him on his desk when he came back from his little tea break.

The man shuffled through the stack, scanning the name written on the first page of each document. When at last he found Albert's, he pulled it out and pushed the rest aside. He stared at the front cover: the boy had certainly gone to great lengths to make a notable first impression; the title of the story and his name were typed in large font, carefully adjusted so that they fit in the centre of a box that Albert had added himself. Well, this wasn't a contest for the best cover… he wondered if Albert had put in as much effort into writing the story as he did with the title page.

After Gordon read through the first few paragraphs, he put the document down and leaned forward on his table, frowning. He buried his face in his hands and began to think. It was vaguely familiar; he felt as though he had read it somewhere before… Unfortunately, he couldn't quite recall.

Absolutely refusing to be defeated, he picked up the story and strode to the school library. Albert had plagiarised again, of that he was sure. But from which book?

Of all the places in the school Lucario had seen so far through the eyes of others, the library was the one that Lucario wished he could enter the most. Rows of books filled dozen of wooden shelves, all categorised neatly in alphabetical order… it felt like a haven for a book-lover like him. A haven that he could see, but couldn't quite reach. It was incredibly annoying.

Gordon pulled down a few anthologies and took a seat next to a group of girls. He noticed the girls shrinking away from him, but he paid no heed to them. The teacher flipped through the pages of one particularly large book, skimming through the first few paragraphs of each short story. No luck.

Still determined, he began skimming the next book: a collection of tales from authors in the Kanto region. Still nothing. The third book was an anthology of works from local authors. He had skimmed past the first four stories when he stopped suddenly, a sudden exhilaration speeding through him. He quickly turned back to the third story and read each word carefully.

After a while, he closed his eyes and let out a big, contented sigh. Guilty as charged. He brought his hands together and rested his chin on top of them. The only problem left was… how should he go about punishing Albert?

**:::::::::::::::::::**

With the knowledge that Albert did indeed copy from a published work, Gordon read through the rest of the boy's story carefully. Noticing that Albert's entry deviated from its original after the climax, he spent another good few hours between lessons browsing through the books in the library to search for the second story Albert stole from – if Albert did steal twice, that is. Still, Gordon was sure he did.

Of course, he already had all the proof he needed – plagiarising a part of an author's story was bad enough. Still, a part of him was curious – _challenged_, even. So, Albert went and copied again despite his warning, eh? It was as if the delinquent had walked up to him and said shamelessly, "Catch me if you can."

And he fully intended to.

Not willing to spend another few hours watching Gordon pour over books, Lucario opened the journal he had brought from back home. He leaned back on the tree he was sitting under, basking under its shade. Removing the quill pen that was wedged in the middle of the book, the blue-furred Pokémon began to write.

_The main character this time is Albert, a boy at the school. He seems as though he could be a bright kid, but from what I can tell, lazy. Early on, he called Julian out under the pretence of discussing an essay, but he copied the ideas from Julian's composition instead. Now, he went and did it again, copying Julian's "maths assignment", which was faked by Julian. I suppose you can't really fool someone twice._

_Right now though, he has plagiarised from two different stories for the contest. He is strange. He doesn't expect to win the contest, that I know. Thus, he could have just crafted a short, lousy story. Instead, he went out of his way, changing the words and sentences of the original versions like that… I think it would require less effort to just write his own anecdote._

_The answer, I guess,__ is human pride. Albert was bitter at having been caught once, so nothing would give him greater satisfaction than to commit his crime again and go undetected. And the teacher, Gordon, has found out about this latest misdeed, and is now planning Albert's judgement. What could it be?_

The Aura Pokémon closed the book, intending to finish the entry once there was a proper conclusion to the story. He decided to check on Gordon again, which he assumed would still be in the library. To his surprise, he located the man's aura in the staff room again.

Taking a deeper look, Lucario saw Gordon holding on to two books as though they were his newborn children. A wide smirk made his features all the more menacing, like a predator that just had a successful hunt, and Lucario knew that could only have meant one thing: Gordon was successful in finding the other story.

At last, Gordon placed the books in front of him, grabbed another student-submitted story from the stack that was still on his table and swung around on his swivel chair, finally getting down to the work he was supposed to do: evaluate which essays were worth submitting to the contest.

Now that that was settled, Lucario had only one thing left to find out: from which school the winner of the contest was from. Of course, that would probably take a few days, so he returned home with the journal in his paws.

The frustrating thing with human-watching in the school was that the hours seemed to drag on without anything exciting happening, largely owing to the many lessons held throughout the day. It wouldn't have been so bad if Absol was with him, but the Disaster Pokémon remained downcast as ever. Eevee, of course, wouldn't come either – and for good reason too, Lucario thought, but he would never admit it. If only he had a Pokémon companion in the school to talk to, but there were only Starly hopping about merrily. They always flew away when Lucario approached them.

News came a couple of days later. There was excitement in the air when Lucario entered the compound; students were chattering among themselves, and even the teachers could be seen rushing to one another in exhilaration. That could only have meant one thing, and Lucario bounded happily towards his usual spot under the tree, trying to contain his increasing anticipation as he searched for Gordon Ferguson's aura. Once again, the teacher was sitting at his desk, though he was not alone.

"This is a carbon copy of your story," Gordon said, indicating several sheets of paper held together by staples. He was beaming at a girl with crutches, and – Lucario could hardly believe it – the man's smile wasn't a leer or sneer, but a true, happy smile; one that Lucario had never expected to see on the man's features.

"As you know," Gordon continued, "a junior from our school won last year. You have no idea how happy we are that you emerge victorious this year, Emily. It's the second year in a row someone from our school won, and you're also the first to win it now that the contest is for senior students. Well done."

"Thank you, sir." The girl's voice was soft and weak, and she spoke slowly.

Gordon picked up the manuscript and read the title. "'Staravia and I'…" He glanced up at the girl. "This story is based on you, isn't it?"

Emily nodded and smiled. "Staravia is a very good friend to me. I wrote this as a dedication to her."

"But why," the teacher said, flipping over to the last page and reading the ending, "did you finish it in such a sad note?"

The girl hesitated. "Because… we all know that is what will happen to me too."

Gordon paused, studying Emily's face. At last he said, "Fight on, Emily. Fight on. Now… the prize-giving ceremony is on Saturday. You will give a speech, and they'll award you your prize. I expect you'll be interviewed too. You should bring Staravia along."

"I will," she replied happily, nodding. "She's always wanted to come inside the school."

"That's great."

There came a knock on the door, and it swung open to reveal Albert, looking a little apprehensive. He walked over to Gordon's desk, glancing at Emily curiously.

Gordon nodded curtly at Albert and said to the girl, "I'll see you then, Emily. Congratulations once again."

Emily bowed her head and turned around slowly, hobbling away with the aid of her crutches. Several teachers in the room walked over, showering Emily with words of praise and congratulations.

"Now, Albert," the teacher began, still in the same friendly tone he had adopted when speaking with Emily. "You didn't win, but I summoned you here to ask: would you be willing to make a little speech anyway on the day of the ceremony?"

Albert gaped at his teacher. Whatever he had been expecting, it was clearly not this. "A speech, sir?"

"It's nothing to worry about; just a little opening speech, you know… welcoming all the guests, introducing the school to them… you do know we're getting some visitors from nearby towns, right? Not to mention some VIPs…"

"But why me?"

Gordon considered the boy for a moment. "Because you have a loud and clear voice."

Albert appeared doubtful. He scratched his head and stayed silent for a few seconds.

The discipline teacher frowned. "Of course, if you refuse to do this honourable task… I don't see why you wouldn't want to, but… I can always ask someone else."

"Oh, no, sir," Albert said hastily, "I would be delighted to, but I'm not good at memorising speeches…"

"Memorise?" Gordon chuckled. "Who said anything about that? No, Albert, you'll be reading from a script."

"Oh." Albert's face brightened immediately. "I guess I can do it then."

"That's wonderful! Be sure to arrive early; dress smartly, look sharp… and bring your family along too."

"Yes, sir! Thank you!"

Gordon nodded and motioned for Albert to leave. There was a smile on both their faces; Albert felt incredibly happy, albeit puzzled at why he was chosen to give the speech. Gordon, however, was pleased because Albert had fallen into his trap, which he had devised once he heard of Emily's victory.

It might involve a few sacrifices on Gordon's part, but oh, how beautiful it would be if everything went according to plan…

**:::::::::::::::::::**

Before Lucario could scour the forest in search of Eevee, she herself turned up at the mountaintop – and as though that alone was not surprising enough, she seemed to be in a good mood. He had sensed her presence from the cave, and dashed out to meet her.

"So, is there any news, or should I push you down now?" she said.

"What happened to you?" Lucario asked, not used to detecting positive waves emitting from Eevee.

"What are you talking about?"

"You look… happy."

"None of your business," she snapped, immediately returning to her old self. "Hurry up and spit out your news already – if you have any, that is."

"It's in three days!" he said happily. "Someone from the school won after all, and the ceremony will be held then."

Eevee blinked, her eyes wide. "Are you serious?"

"I am."

She eyed him contemptuously, as though waiting for him to reveal that it was all a joke. When he didn't, she continued, "You're really lucky, you know that?"

He nodded and gestured to the mouth of the cave. "Would you like to come in?"

"No," she said, turning away and walking towards the trail leading down.

Lucario ran up to Eevee, blocking her path. "You came all the way up here just to ask for news?"

"Is that a problem?" And without waiting for an answer, she pushed her way past Lucario.

The Aura Pokémon stared in wonder as Eevee marched down the trail, her head held high. Did she come all the way up here just for the exercise? Hardly possible, especially for someone like her.

Before Eevee disappeared around a turning, she stopped and glanced back at Lucario.

"Yes?" he asked politely.

She looked as though she wanted to say something, but turned away again. "Nothing."

"I'll see you in three days then! At the bottom of the mountain!"

With a slight nod, Eevee walked out of sight, leaving Lucario to contemplate the enigma that she was.

On the day of the ceremony, Lucario woke up earlier than usual to the darkness that filled the cave. The sun had yet to extend its golden fingers within, and for once, he would be the one to greet it when it finally rises.

He was filled with excitement, like an enthusiastic boy on his first day at school. Sitting on his bed while anxiously awaiting the hours to pass by, he glanced over at Absol. The Disaster Pokémon was snoring lightly, his chest heaving slowly. It would be so easy to slip into his mind… especially now that he was asleep and vulnerable…

Lucario quickly took his gaze elsewhere, afraid that he would surrender to his curiosity if he stared too long. Absol's mood had improved over the past few days; he was more willing to chat and move about, though Lucario felt it was all just a façade.

To keep his mind off Absol, Lucario thought about the ceremony which he would attend later. He had already told Absol about it, and the white Pokémon had consented to come with him and Eevee. Lucario planned to walk every inch of the school, but Absol dashed his dreams by suggesting that Pokémon were only allowed in the hall on this occasion. Still, it should be fun.

Of course, not everyone will leave the ceremony in good spirits. Though Lucario was not entirely sure on Gordon Ferguson's plan to punish Albert, he had a suspicion as to what the trap involved. It wasn't that hard to figure out anyhow. He was just concerned, wondering if Albert's ego would survive the overkill. Well, Eevee would probably be pleased.

Not wanting to waste time with idle thoughts, Lucario left the cave and stood at the mountaintop. The morning air was chilly and refreshing, blowing about like a natural air conditioner. A thick blanket of mist covered the forest, making the trees barely visible from his high vantage point. He took the scene in, appreciating the miracle that was his home and how lucky he had been to stumble upon the place. Resolving not to let the foreseen disaster take this away, he began the training regimen that had been abandoned for so long. As he trained, memories from the past returned to him; he might have been a Riolu again, with Xatu standing by and watching him.

"Are you all right, Lucario?"

Lucario started. Whirling around, he saw Absol emerge from the mouth of the cave. The early sunrays shone on his white fur, and Absol held out a paw to shield his eyes from the light.

"Good morning. I'm fine; why do you ask?"

"I heard you yelling – I thought you were battling someone or something…"

"Oh, no," Lucario said hurriedly as he walked over to Absol. "I was just training – I'm sorry I woke you up. I promise I'll be quieter next time."

"Not at all; you didn't wake me up. But I'm surprised you're up before me."

"I couldn't sleep much – too excited."

Absol nodded and smiled – the first time in days. "I thought you might be. So, when are we heading to the school?"

"After we eat."

When they finished their quick meal of berries, the duo hurried down the mountain, expecting Eevee to be there. She was late however, a fact that Lucario was quick to point out when she finally arrived. After receiving a tackle for his jibe, the three of them set off towards the school; with Lucario filling Eevee in on the details of the many days which he spent watching Albert and Gordon.

A big crowd had converged at the school's main gate, where a few teachers and students stood to greet them. As he entered the compound, he looked at the security guard in his post and grinned. The guard saw his smirk, fully knowing that Lucario was taunting him for being able to finally enter the school building; and not being able to do anything about it, the guard readjusted his cap exasperatedly, shooting daggers at the Aura Pokémon.

Once inside, Lucario followed the stream of people as they bustled along. The walls near the entrance were filled with several bulletin boards which had dozens of multicoloured papers stuck to it. A little way down the corridor, he could see rows of grey lockers, and the doors leading to classrooms. To his disappointment, a few teachers directed the crowd towards the hall, which was through the first door on the immediate right. He didn't even get the chance to walk around the corridor.

The hall was large; Lucario had never seen a ceiling so high up. The lights hanging on the rafters were all turned on, though they weren't necessary; the sunlight pouring in through the many windows would have been sufficient to keep the hall brightly lit. Rows of plastic chairs had been arranged across the brown-coloured floor, and people were seemingly choosing their seats in random.

After selecting seats in one of the back rows, Lucario spied Albert talking to his parents. The boy was dressed smartly in his white school uniform, and he ran a finger down his long black hair as his mother readjusted his collar. Up on the stage, Lucario saw Gordon beckoning Albert over from behind a red curtain. The boy bade a quick farewell to his parent and scooted off.

Absol, who was sitting rather oddly on the chair to Lucario's right, nudged him. "Lucario, look over there."

Lucario followed his gaze to where Absol was staring: sitting at the front row was a man in a black suit with a miniature pompadour. Lucario recognised him immediately. "Yeah… he teaches here, after all. I wonder if he and the rest have moved back to floor seven?"

At that moment, Duke turned around to speak to the man seating behind him. With a start, Lucario saw that it was Hideki. Yukiko sat besides him, staring straight at the stage. It made sense for Hideki to be here… he was probably writing an article about the contest for his magazine. At least he was feeling well enough to attend the ceremony; Lucario was glad Hideki's injury had not been that serious.

"There." Eevee, sitting on Lucario's left, raised a paw towards a few men standing in a corner near the front. Lucario noticed one of them had a big, black device hoisted on his shoulder. "That's the TV crew." She turned to Absol. "Only three men, Absol. It's not that big an event."

Absol gave an indistinct mumble.

Eevee went on, "The event's only for people who have nothing better to do." She then cast Lucario a sneering look. "And of course, for Pokémon who wants to visit the school."

Just then, a group of people came their way. A burly man took the empty seat besides Eevee, who looked most disgusted. She inched a little closer towards Lucario, but then realised she felt just as revolted with the Aura Pokémon. To Lucario's amusement, she huffed exasperatedly and sat upright in the middle of her chair, trying to avoid contact with both beings at her sides.

The few chairs to Absol's right, however, remained empty. Several people came up to it, but after a few wary glances at the white-furred Pokémon, they left to find seats in another row. Lucario resisted the urge to growl at them, and instead, observed Absol. The Disaster Pokémon was staring at the stage, seemingly oblivious. Lucario wondered if he knew how negatively-perceived he was.

Up on the stage, a short woman bustled towards a podium on the left side. Once there, she readjusted her silvery glasses and tapped on the microphone a few times. She cleared her throat and began to speak, occasionally glancing down at a sheet of paper that she held behind the podium, hidden from the audience's view.

Silence fell upon everyone, save for a few people who were whispering to their neighbours. Lucario listened alertly to her speech for a moment, but felt his attention drifting off. From her introduction, he knew she was the headmistress of this school. She was giving the opening speech that Albert was supposed to deliver, which didn't surprise him in the least. But what was Albert doing now, and what thoughts were running through his head?

With so many people in the hall, it took a little longer for him to sort through their intertwining aura patterns. He eventually found Albert standing behind the stage, hidden by the curtains. Gordon stood in front of him, with both hands on the boy's shoulders.

"A slight change of plans, my boy. The headmistress insisted on opening the ceremony – hardly surprising; we have some important guests with us today. But I'll make it up to you. You just wait here, okay?"

"Okay, sir," Albert said. He was feeling a little apprehensive now. There was a comforting smile on his teacher's face, but he did not feel at all reassured.

"Yes, we have some very important people today…" Gordon released his grip and pushed the curtain open slightly, scanning the crowd. "I made a few calls… pulled a few strings… we have a few authors in the audience."

Albert felt his cheeks grow warm. "Really, sir?"

"Oh yes," Gordon replied airily. "Especially now that older students are entering the contest, I thought it would be great to have professionals present in the ceremony. They'll give a lecture on writing later on, see. I believe it will help our students achieve their full potential."

"Y–yes, sir."

"I couldn't get anyone from outside Ferrous City though, but that is of no matter." He closed the curtains again and turned to face Albert. "After all, our local authors are quite impressive, no? We have Celestine Darrell, authoress of 'Seven Days of Rain'. We also have Muroi Tomohiro, author of the critically acclaimed 'Buizel in the River'."

Gordon was smiling again, but Albert seemed to understand what was going on. Their eyes met, and although Gordon said nothing, Albert felt as though he was being jeered at – the silence itself might have been mocking his helplessness.

"N–no… sir…" Albert stuttered, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

The man laughed. "No to what, Albert? Are you nervous? Don't be. Take a deep breath and wait here. I'll get back to you shortly."

Back at the front of the stage, the headmistress concluded her speech to warm applause. Seeing that several Pokémon were clapping, Lucario joined in. His two friends did not, however.

Gordon soon took the headmistress' place at the podium. He beamed at the audience and moved the microphone closer to his mouth. "As you all know, there were many well-written submissions for the contest. Out of all these entries, five of the best have been chosen by the judges. Before we listen to the winning submission, let us hear the other four participants' stories. Firstly, all the way from Jubilife, Natalie Hornsby!"

As everyone broke into applause, a girl in the front row stood up. Her Bidoof was standing on the chair besides her, cheering her on. She smiled and walked up to the stage, clutching her story tightly. Gordon passed the microphone to her and disappeared backstage.

He pushed his way past several students and found Albert sitting in a corner, looking pale. Gordon strode to his briefcase, which he left on an old wooden table. Brushing the dust off it, he opened the case and retrieved a document. He turned around and saw Albert eyeing the paper suspiciously.

"Well, Albert," he said, handing the document over. "That's a very nice story you've composed. I'm very proud of you. It's so well-written that you'll be telling it to the audience…"

"Sir!" Albert yelped. His worst fears were confirmed, and he was suddenly filled with dread. "Sir – I don't want –!"

"Right now, someone from some other school is narrating her story. It'll be your turn after her."

"But – but –!"

"Relax, Albert; it'll be fine!" Gordon said in a fatherly tone, placing his hands on Albert's shoulders again. "Go out there and tell your story. You'll be in front of your parents, in front of your teachers, in front of your friends, in front of the media, and in front of the authors… It'll make you famous."

Albert could say nothing.

There came the sound of applause from what felt like a million people beyond the curtains. Gordon stood up straight and smiled. Without another word, he walked away to the stage, where he would be making the announcement he had been wanting to for so long.

"The next student," he boomed, and here, Gordon paused. This was the only downside to his plan: he would surely receive a reprimanding for deviating from the programme. Still, it had to be done. Steeling himself, he spoke again, "Albert Fletz, from our very own school!"

There was applause again, but this time, it was mixed with confusion from many in the audience. Students glanced at each other bewilderedly, conversing in breathless whispers. The headmistress got up and chased after Gordon, who had disappeared to the back again.

"Ferguson!" she said, startling a few students backstage who seemed shock to see their headmistress there. "What is the meaning of this? Since when did another of our students –?"

Gordon held out a hand to silence her. She looked tremendously affronted at this gesture, but stopped to hear him explain.

"Madam, I'll explain it all later. Or rather… Albert will explain most of it. Well, Albert, hurry up. Everyone's waiting."

Albert looked fearfully from the discipline teacher to the headmistress. Everyone was staring at him, even the students backstage. Outside, there were curious murmurs; and though he couldn't see them through the curtain, he imagined a thousand pair of eyes fixed upon him.

In a dreamlike state, he took a few steps towards the front of the stage. It had been a trap, of course. 'Seven Days of Rain'? 'Buizel in the River'? He was cornered, and there was no way of fighting his way through. Was it too late for regrets?

The podium was a billion miles away, and the audience had fallen silent as he emerged from the back; they remained quiet as he continued walking… his footsteps were echoing all around, the only thing audible in the hall. Or perhaps it was his heartbeat?

He clutched the paper in his hands tightly; its sides were already slightly damp from his sweat. At last, he had reached the podium, facing the world. Without knowing what he was doing, he pulled the microphone closer to his lips. Running his eyes through the crowd, he could see the authors he had borrowed from – borrowed without permission. His teacher wasn't lying after all…

And sitting further at the back, his parents… beaming, proud of their son.

Applause. His parents had chosen that moment to applause. And of course, everyone followed.

His eyes slid down the paper, and he inched closer towards the microphone. He opened his mouth…

Sweet, golden silence.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

_Albert never did say a thing; he ran backstage after standing there for a few minutes. Everyone was confused, but the headmistress managed to regain control of the situation, claiming that it had been a mistake. The ceremony went on flawlessly, but Albert remained sitting in the back, his face buried in his hands. The trouble was just beginning for him: his parents, friends and teachers would probably know the truth eventually. And of course, he'll probably receive low marks for his mathematics assignment. Well, he built a house of cards, and now he has to go live in it._

_As for my bet with Eevee?_

"You lose."

Lucario recoiled at the sight of Eevee's paw pointed threateningly at his face. "What? Why?"

Eevee ran a few steps ahead and stopped at the shade of a tree, glancing back at the two, who had yet to cross the boundary between city and forest. "It dragged on for too long, and was boring to boot. Human-watching is a pointless activity."

As much as he hated to admit it, Lucario agreed with her: this was the longest human-watching session he ever had, and a majority of it was spent alone in the school. To add to the disappointment, he missed out on Emily's reading of her story – he had been busy observing Albert backstage. However, he was not going to give in easily.

He folded his arms across his chest and said defiantly, "That's not fair, saying my hobby is useless just because you didn't like this trip. An experiment needs to be conducted with –"

"Oh, shut up!" she snapped through gritted teeth. "I don't care about that! I'm not going to go on more of these mundane outings just so I can make an accurate generalisation!"

"Well, let's assume that I admit defeat, Eevee. What would happen to me? And don't say that you're going to push me off the mountain," he quickly added as she opened her mouth to speak, "because we all know you never meant it."

"I –"

Eevee paused, clearly at a loss of what to say. Apparently, she had not thought it through beforehand. Finally, she turned around and continued walking. "A favour."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You owe me a favour."

"What's the favour?"

She shook her head impatiently. "I haven't thought about it yet! I'll let you know when I think of something." Without warning, she sprinted forwards. When she was well ahead from the bemused duo, she stopped and glared at Lucario. "Remember! You owe me a favour!" And without waiting for a reply, she disappeared into the bushes.

"W–wait!" Lucario yelled, dashing forward. "I was only making an assumption! I never said I lost the bet – hey, Eevee! Come back!"

But Eevee paid no heed to his summons as she zigzagged through the undergrowth. She was evidently familiar with her way around the forest. Lucario stopped his pursuit and looked at Absol exasperatedly, who merely shrugged and said, "Told ya she's trouble."

_I "lost" the bet, but instead of freefalling from the mountain, I'm now supposed to do a __favour__ for Eevee. I'm interested to see what she has in store for me. Absol kept telling me to avoid her from now on, but Eevee is funny. There's more to her, I just know it._

_The chess set, a symbol of persistence. Absol was right. Albert and Gordon were locked in a battle, perhaps without even __realising__ it. Each of them making slow moves, daring the other to counterattack, just like a long game of chess. Albert's mistake was to __plagiarise__ the stories of others, when he wasn't planning to win the contest in the first place. He could have walked away – he could have created a __meagre__ tale; but instead, he pushed himself towards a corner. Checkmate. _

With his latest entry concluded, Lucario kept the journal back into the box and placed it on the pedestal-like rock next to his bed, where it gleamed under the brilliant sunrays pouring in from the openings on the wall. Now that he thought about it, he usually wrote his entries late at night, when Absol was sleeping. At the moment though, the Disaster Pokémon was eyeing him with apparent interest.

"I didn't know you have a journal."

"Ah, yes," Lucario said, brushing some dust from the top of his aura-imbued box with his paw. "My father gave it to me, along with the box. I keep my memories in it."

Absol's gaze lingered on the box. "Your eggshell necklace is inside, right?"

"You remembered!" Lucario exclaimed, a little surprised. He opened the box again and retrieved the necklace. It no longer fitted him ever since he evolved, but he never intended to wear it outside again. The necklace was much safer in the box, where nobody could so much as look at it without his permission. "It's my treasure, as is the box. You know, no one else can open it except me."

"What?" Absol padded forward and took a closer look. "Is it like the safes that humans use? Protected with a secret code?"

"Oh, no, nothing of the sort. It's sealed with my aura, so only I can open it. Everyone's aura is unique, you see. There may be individuals with somewhat similar aura patterns, but no one shares an identical aura signature."

"I see," Absol said, impressed. "So it's like biometrics?"

The term was unfamiliar. "Um… biology?" Lucario suggested.

Absol shook his head as he laughed, walking back to his bed. "Biometrics. Never mind, I'm not too certain what it is either."

"Hmm."

The white Pokémon lay on his bed and watched wistfully as Lucario kept the egg fragment. "I have a box like that too."

"Eh?" Lucario spun around quickly, not sure that he had heard right. "You have an aura box too?"

"No, no," Absol said hastily. "I'm sorry; I should have been more specific. I meant that I have a box where treasures are kept. A kind of miniature safe."

"I see." Lucario sank down on his bed and hugged his knees, staring tentatively at Absol. "Um… do you not have it with you now?"

"Ah… no. Who knows if it's still around… it may have been thrown away."

Absol adjusted his head, facing away from Lucario. The blue Pokémon recognised this gesture as a telltale sign of uneasiness, and dropped the question he was about to ask. Swimming in his thoughts, he leaned back and stared upwards, tracing nonexistent patterns in the cave's ceiling.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Next time, on I Am Lucario…

_Eevee took a deep breath, as though steeling herself to say something embarrassing. At last, with a flick of her tail, she said, "I want to play a game."_

The chapter will be up around the second week of August. It's a forest chapter! No human-watching. Eevee seems to be appearing a lot lately…

And now I pose a question to my readers:

What do you think Absol's been hiding all this while? It won't be too long before we reach the chapter regarding what happened to him. Don't be afraid to send your opinions – I'm actually interested to see what you guys think it is.


	8. Forest Game

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon

Just to let you know, I've fixed an error in chapter six. Remember when Lucario was upset because he thought of Xatu a thief? He had said that Xatu did not explain how he got all his items, but upon rereading chapter two, I found that Xatu had, in fact, claimed that most of the items were either discarded or gifts. I have rewritten the scene slightly. If you aren't sure of what I'm talking about, you've probably read the corrected scene instead of the old version.

And… this story has surpassed fifty reviews! I cannot thank you all enough. (bows) Seriously, thank you for all the motivation, encouragement, and feedback.

In response to **Ri2**; ah, is that so? I've always thought that the Eevee species were quite common, but perhaps that's just because Eevee is a popular species in this site. Anyway, thanks!

In response to** TimelessComet**; thank you very much!

In response to** annabelle; **thank you very much! Interesting guess – the answer will be revealed soon.

And so, we've reached chapter eight. As stated before, there'll be no human-watching in this chapter. I don't know if you guys are tired of Eevee or not, but this chapter focuses on her – however, she won't be reappearing in the next chapter, and the chapter after that.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

The dusty bookstore at the corner of the street may seem small outwardly, but anyone who had been inside would know that it was a booklover's heaven. The path inside was extremely narrow, and the cashier unfriendly, but it was filled with many towering shelves containing books of all genres.

Despite the vast number of books available, the store did not seem to attract many customers. When Lucario entered, there was an old lady at the corner, perusing some sort of magazine; and a couple of kids sitting on the floor, their eyes glued on the same comic book. The cashier, a teenager with headphones who was apparently just a part-timer, sat at the counter, his eyes closed.

Lucario ran his paw through the spine of the books, skimming their titles as he did so. There were just too many books here; he was sure it would take months to finish reading through all of their contents. He stepped over the legs of the children, who were blocking the path, and walked closer to the back of the shop.

There, the shelves contained large tomes – he saw that most of them were dictionaries or thesauruses of some sort. One particular book caught his attention: a dictionary of English idioms and sayings. He removed it and flipped through the pages, remembering that he frequently drew incredulous stares when he displayed his lack of knowledge regarding English expressions.

And yet, was it really his fault? He had always been conversing in Pokémon language with the others, but they kept including idioms that were used by humans. It would be like saying a Japanese proverb in English – he doubted many would recognise it. But of course, the Pokémon that used these English sayings all had, or was, living with humans. The forest Pokémon never did seem to use them at all…

Lucario closed the book and looked at the price tag on its back. It wasn't too expensive, but he felt his grip tightened on the money that he had been holding on for some time now. Xatu had left him a fair amount of cash, but he had never once touched it. He knew that Xatu meant for him to use it as he wished, but he still felt guilty about spending his father's money.

_I'm sorry._

Trying to dispel the doubt that still lingered in his mind, he walked back to the front of the shop and placed the book on the counter. He rapped on it to gain the cashier's attention; the boy seemed irritated at being interrupted. The cashier picked up the book and pressed several buttons on the cash register – Lucario looked on with interest, curious about how the machine worked.

The boy took the money that the Aura Pokémon placed on top of the book, and Lucario watched as he fed it to the cash register. The cashier then placed several coins on top of the counter along with the book, which was now inside a paper bag.

The blue Pokémon counted the coins, adding up their value in his mind. Seeing that it was not the right amount, he waited politely for the cashier to retrieve more change from the cash register. However, the boy was now reclining on his chair, his eyes closed. Lucario knocked on the counter again, and the boy opened one eye lazily.

Lucario gestured at the coins and waited once more.

"What about them?" the boy demanded.

Lucario gazed quizzically at him, his head tilted slightly. He pointed at the coins again, then at the cash register.

The cashier shook his head. "It's the right amount."

But a thought was wafting out from the kid… '_What does a Pokémon know about money anyway? I'll just pocket the extra… no one will know…_'

Suddenly filled with rage, Lucario slammed the counter with his paw, growling. Some of the coins shook from the force and fell to the ground – and he knew the other customers were staring at him, but Lucario continued to glare at the cashier.

The boy, almost falling out of his chair from Lucario's outburst, quickly stood up. "Y–yes, of course, sorry!" He bent down hastily, picking up the fallen coins. When he resurfaced, he quickly counted them all again (as though he did not know they were the wrong amount, Lucario thought angrily). He pretended to realise his error, and promptly withdrew more coins from the machine. The boy placed them on the counter and bowed in apology.

Lucario took the coins, and after making sure the amount was correct, dropped them into the paper bag with his book. He then grunted and left the store in a huff, feeling thankful for having self-studied mathematics in the past.

The morning sun was bright and cheery, enveloping the area in its golden hue. Lucario held the bag tightly to his chest as he walked in the shade of a row of trees planted along the sidewalk. He had grown fond of the city's outskirts; ever-tranquil and unhurried like the forest.

The wind blew past him, carrying some scattered leaves off the pavement and towards a housing area in the distance. He stared at them as they danced in the breeze, seemingly carefree and jubilant. The blue Pokémon sighed and continued walking. It was a beautiful day, but he was worried for his white-furred friend.

Though Absol had attempted to put on a cheerful front, Lucario knew something was eating him. A few days ago, Absol had came up to him, and said that he wished to venture into the city alone.

"But why?" Lucario had asked, surprised. "I thought you said it's always better for you to be with someone whenever you visit the city?"

Absol nodded slowly, averting his eyes. "Yes, but… there's something I need to do. I'll stay hidden."

"If you're sure, then… I'll stay here and keep the cave open for you."

"No," Absol said quickly. "It's okay – you can go human-watching or something, I don't mind. I won't be back that early. Even if I get back before you, I'll just sit outside and wait."

Lucario agreed, but he remained in the mountain, training again. True to his word, Absol came back very late in the night, just when Lucario was wondering if he should leave the cave open and go to sleep without his friend. Absol appeared to be worn out, and went to sleep immediately after a quick meal. The next day, he left the mountain once more, just after Lucario woke up.

This routine went on for a few days, but it wasn't until four days later did Lucario finally decide to do as Absol suggested, and leave the cave sealed as he journeyed to the city alone. Still, the Aura Pokémon did not engage in any human-watching – instead, he roamed around the outskirts, looking at the shops and all that they had to offer.

Without a doubt, Absol was lingering around the area: Lucario could sense his presence. A quick aura scan would reveal his precise location, but the Aura Pokémon had refrained himself from using his abilities. It was Absol's secret, after all…

A little bell rang softly from his left, followed by the sound of pattering feet. Lucario paused in his tracks and directed his eyes to the source of the noise. A little girl had run out from Celia's bakery, clutching a bluish doll. Her mouth fell open slightly as she spotted him, and in an instant, she was at his side, clutching at his yellow fur.

"Awra Spear! Awra Spear!"

Feeling completely bewildered, he crouched down so that he was at eye level with the girl. Seeing this, she released her grip and began to fiddle with his ears instead. He looked down at the doll in her other arm; its features were now apparent: it was a Riolu.

A second voice came from within the shop. "Oh my!"

Lucario straightened up and looked over the little girl's head. A woman had emerged from the shop, a bag of pastries in her hand. Seeing the child at his side, she quickly rushed down the path and grabbed her by the hand.

"I'm so sorry," she told Lucario, bowing slightly. "I hope she hasn't disturbed you."

The girl held up the Riolu doll, brandishing it in front of her mother's face. Pointing at Lucario, she said again, "Awra Spear!"

Lucario shook his head, smiling.

The lady muttered her apologies again and marched her daughter off – the girl kept stealing backward glances at him. Still feeling a little overwhelmed, he turned his head towards the bakery. Umbreon was sitting at the doorstep, her tail swinging slowly behind her, reminding Lucario immensely of Eevee.

He bowed, and she nodded in reply.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Eight: Forest Game**

"_I'm hiding my wounds, hoping that someone will notice."_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"Help yourself," Celia said, laying a large tray of food in front of him.

Lucario stood up, shaking his head quickly. He attempted to push the tray back to the woman, but she merely laughed.

"Don't be silly; you're Absol's friend, after all. And I do say that I bake too much – the supply is always greater than the demand!" She turned around and walked out of the door. "I'll leave you two then; I've got more baking to do!"

Defeated, he sank back onto the sofa besides Umbreon. The black-furred Pokémon eyed him curiously for a moment. Her eyes then fell onto the package he was holding.

"Been shopping?"

"Oh, yes," he said, quite forgetting about his purchase at the bookstore. He placed the bag next to the tray of food. "You know, I do not need that much food – I don't even need a single thing, really – you can have them all."

She gave a little laugh. "I have them everyday. Don't worry about it, help yourself."

"Um… Well…"

Lucario hesitated as he peered at the assortment of bread and pastries. The fragrance wafting from the tray was incredibly alluring, and he felt his resolve to not accept another free meal from Celia dissipating. He scratched his head sheepishly. "Um… just one or two, then."

He picked up a flat, circular pastry and examined it closely. The brown delicacy felt incredibly soft and warm. "Isn't… isn't this a pancake?"

"A dorayaki, yes."

"Wow," he whispered, holding it closer to his nose so he could take a better sniff. After enjoying the scent for a while, he took a small nibble.

The tiny piece of dorayaki in his mouth was mildly sweet; the taste reminded him of berries from the forest. Taking a closer look through the hole he had bitten off, he saw that the pastry was filled with jam, just like the croissant he had the last time. Though the dorayaki may not be as crunchy or filling as the croissant, it was certainly flavourful.

"You're lucky that you get to eat things like this everyday," he commented.

"Eh… it's good, I suppose," Umbreon said nonchalantly, reclining on the sofa. "But one does get bored of it."

He took a larger mouthful. "I doubt I'll get tired of eating this."

"But you are a forest Pokémon, aren't you? I bet you don't eat a lot of human things."

Lucario shook his head. "I'm from the forest, yes, but I have a stash of human snacks. Most of them are really old though… they don't taste as fresh as this." He continued eating in silence for a while before a thought popped into his head. "Absol mentioned to you that I'm a forest Pokémon?"

Umbreon nodded curtly, her red eyes meeting his own. "How come he isn't with you today?"

He swallowed and lowered the half-eaten pastry. "He's off somewhere, doing something. That reminds me, Umbreon, you know what happened between Absol and his old roommate, don't you?"

"Roommate?"

"It's the term Absol used to describe the human he used to live with."

"I see. His old roommate… but it's not really a secret, is it?" She sat upright again. "You mean he never mentioned it to you?"

"The only thing he said was that he wasn't sure what happened exactly."

Umbreon snorted and stared idly at the tray of food. "That's the excuse he gave me too."

"But I don't even know why he left his old home in the first place."

Umbreon scratched her head uncertainly, eyeing Lucario with an air of curiosity. Oddly enough, she was radiating the same uneasiness as the one he had always associated with Absol. "He… he never told you?"

"No. You mean he told you?" he asked, surprised.

"No… I found out through Celia…"

"Oh, that's right. Absol mentioned that his human was friends with Celia. Um… do you think you can tell me what happened then?"

Umbreon bit her lip, her tail rigidly pointing upwards. A long silence settled in, and the only sound that could be heard was the whirring of the fan overhead. At last, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I think Absol have his reasons for withholding information from you. Not that he doesn't trust you, of course," she added kindly. "Still, I believe it'll be more prudent to let him tell you himself, when he wants to."

"Yes, I understand."

There was another brief period of silence as Lucario continued his snack. While chewing another morsel of the dorayaki, he looked around the room, uncomfortably aware that Umbreon was surveying him intently.

"So, you live in the forest… and Absol too?" she asked casually.

"Yes, up on a mountain. Would you like to come visit? The entrance is sealed, but I can open it for you."

"No, it's fine. I was wondering actually… do you know of many spots in the forest where you can get berries?"

"What kind?"

She shrugged. "Anything is fine… Oran berries, I suppose."

"Sure, I know of many Oran trees – it's one of the most common in the forest. Why?"

"Well, you see… Celia's been having difficulties getting her hands on berries as of late. Her usual supplier is upping the price to an unreasonable level; and it's not like this shop generates a lot of profit."

"I see," Lucario said. "So you wish to collect berries from the forest for the shop?"

Umbreon nodded, looking relieved that she was spared from having to explain further. For some reason, she was emanating faint traces of embarrassment.

"No problem. I'll be your new supplier – I can collect them for you. How much do you want, and how often?"

"Oh, no," she said hastily, getting up on all fours. "If you can just tell me where they are, I can collect them myself. Incidentally, we plan to plant some of them here in our garden, but in the meantime, we'll have to rely on the forest's bounty."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't mind going –"

"It's perfectly fine," Umbreon said firmly.

"If you're sure, then. Shall we go?"

"What? Now?"

"Why not?"

Umbreon considered this for a moment, one of her ears falling to the side while the other remained erect. "Eh… I suppose now's a good time."

"Okay." With that, he tossed what was left of the pancake into his mouth and got up. He picked up his package and glanced at the tray, which was still full of tempting pastries. He pointed at them uncertainly. "What about this? Shall I help to clear it up?"

"That won't be necessary. Celia will do it." She stared at the assortment of food. "Are you sure you don't want more? You only had one."

"Um…" He felt his grip tightened on the brown paper bag as his eyes spotted the same croissant he had taken a fancy to on his last trip here. The faint sound of the coins tinkling from within the bag's confinements brought an idea to his head. "I'll buy some of them home."

He opened the bag and retrieved some coins, but Umbreon held out a paw and stopped him. "Don't be ridiculous. It's on the house. Take all you want."

Lucario stared at Umbreon bewilderedly. "On… the house?" He tilted his head upwards.

Umbreon mimicked his movements and glanced at the ceiling curiously. "Is there a problem?"

"No, no, nothing at all."

"Fine then…" she said, though she looked slightly suspicious. "I'll go get the basket for the berries. You just take whatever you want." She strode to the door, and looked back. "Do you need a bigger bag?"

"No, this one's fine, thanks."

After Umbreon disappeared from his line of sight, he browsed through the foodstuffs, prodding some of them with his paw. Not too sure as to which were more appetising, he picked a few based on their scent, along with a croissant, and placed them in his bag. Before leaving the room, he removed all the coins he had acquired from the bookshop and placed them neatly next to the tray, hoping it would be enough to repay Celia for all the generosity she had shown him.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

As a homeless Riolu, he had explored the depths of the forest, uncovering little secrets everywhere he went. Food was never a problem; there were plenty of trees and bushes that provided sustenance in the form of berries and fruits. Those were the days when the little Emanation Pokémon would wander aimlessly, unsure to the meaning of his existence…

"Here."

Oran trees were widespread in the forest, but most of them grew separate from each other. However, there was a small grove of them located near the lake. Lucario never frequented the area, for it had become quite a playground for the little Pokémon in the forest. He was generally sociable, but he never did feel comfortable around those boisterous young Pokémon.

As he led Umbreon to the grove though, he found it to be quite deserted, with the exception of a solitary Bidoof. Lucario recognised him as one of the gang that usually gambolled around the area. They had never really chatted; only stopping to greet each other when their paths crossed.

The Bidoof turned around at the sound of their approaching footsteps, his arms overflowing with Oran berries. He looked from Umbreon to Lucario, and mumbled a soft "Hello."

Lucario inclined his head slightly. "Good morning. Not with your friends today?"

"No, no, I'm just gathering berries for a party we're having today." He raised his armful of berries slightly – some of them dropped to the ground. "A friend of ours, see… reappeared after a long period of absence."

"That's nice of you," Lucario commented. They certainly were a very tight bunch, holding a party for another of their own.

The Bidoof laughed nervously. "Yeah… I guess… I – I got to go now."

He scampered off quickly on two feet, attempting to hold on to as much berries as he could. Umbreon stared after him with interest, the basket she had brought dangling on her teeth. She dropped the basket on the grass and gazed at the trees.

"It's really beautiful," she said, walking up to a tree and brushing her body against its bark. "I should get out of the bakery more often."

"Well, why don't you?"

Umbreon lay on the grass, gazing at the sky through the foliages. "I'm lazy. I like my home comforts. But the forest is nice…"

Lucario placed his package down and picked up the basket. "Yes, it is indeed very nice. Go ahead and rest, I'll gather the berries for you."

"Oh no you don't," she exclaimed, leaping to her feet and running over to him. "I will do it myself. You can go home if you want; you've helped a lot by bringing me here."

"We'll do it together then," he said, smiling. "Berry-picking goes faster when you're with someone. I learnt that with Absol."

Umbreon began to ram her body against a particularly tall tree, causing a few berries to drop. "Ah, Absol… he doubts himself too much."

"I agree," Lucario said, as he shook the other tree besides Umbreon. "He always thinks that others see him in a negative light."

"No, I don't mean that. I mean… hesees _himself_ in a negative light. He really believes that he brings bad luck and disasters to others."

"He – he does?" Lucario asked, stunned. "But it is merely a stigma associated with being the Disaster Pokémon! Surely he doesn't think that his kind brings misfortune?"

Umbreon shook her head and gazed sadly at him. "It's not that, Lucario. You see, he doesn't believe that Absol, as a species, bring bad luck. Instead, he deems that he, as an individual, causes harm to others. You know what he said to me the other day, when you both came for a visit?" She lowered her voice in a clear attempt at mimicking Absol and said, "'I bring calamity to all whom I am close with.' Can you believe that?"

Lucario stopped shaking the tree, digesting Umbreon's words. "But why would he say something like that?"

Umbreon did not reply immediately, but stood rigidly in the shade, where the yellow rings on her fur seemed to glow dimly. "How much do you know about Absol's past?"

"Not much. I only know that he used to stay with a human – Celia's friend."

"And beyond that? What about his parents?"

"His – his parents?" For some reason, he had always thought of Absol being alone his whole life, left to fend for himself. But of course… he should have known that Absol had parents too…

"It was not easy to gain his confidence," said Umbreon, "but I managed to coax a bit of information from Absol. His mother died before he hatched from his egg, and he was raised by his father."

"His father…" Lucario's voice came out as a whisper. He was sure that he detected a tone of foreboding in Umbreon's voice.

Umbreon strode out from the shadows; her eyes narrowed slightly as the sunlight fell upon them. "His father died shortly after too, but he wouldn't say why."

"That's terrible…" he said, suddenly reminded of Xatu.

She retreated back into the darkness, picking up the berries lying on the grass. Lucario absentmindedly did the same thing with the berries on his side.

"Lucario… don't let anything happen to you."

He looked up at Umbreon – she was scrutinising him again. "I beg your pardon?"

"Prove to him that he isn't a bad luck charm."

Lucario nodded, flashing a comforting smile. "I will."

With her basket almost full, Umbreon decided to bring back a few Pecha berries as well, which led to a detour down a muddy path to a tree filled with the pink fruit. By the time she was satisfied with the day's harvest, it was noon, and the sun shone brightly overhead in the cloudless sky.

"Do let's stop for a drink," Umbreon begged. "I'm not used to the heat."

"Okay, we aren't far from the lake."

Lucario led the way, both the basket and the paper bag in his arms. Umbreon trailed behind, flitting along the shadows to remain hidden from the sun. They reached the lake not long after: there were quite a lot of Pokémon there, most of them taking a short drink. It was a hot day after all, he thought as he tugged at his scarf. The accessory felt uncomfortably warm – perhaps he shouldn't have worn it today.

Umbreon ran joyfully to the edge and lowered her head, lapping up the water noisily. Lucario walked slowly towards her, his eyes scanning the surroundings. There was a familiar aura in the air… At last, he spotted the source of the waves, sitting on the grass a short distance away.

"Eevee? Is that you?"

Upon hearing her name, Eevee looked around wildly. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Lucario, and she backed away slightly as he ran up to her, waving.

"Hello, Eevee! But… what happened to you?"

Water was dripping from Eevee's matted fur, which was sagging humorously. Her tail was not swishing from side to side as usual, but lying dormant on the grass, clearly wet. She looked as though she had taken a plunge into the lake. It took a lot of willpower for Lucario to refrain from laughing.

"I know it's a hot day," he commented, "but it's not that hot. Or are you just training for when you evolve into a Vaporeon?"

Eevee let out an angry snarl and lunged herself at Lucario, some of the water from her fur splashing onto him. He laughed, used to Eevee's sudden attacks. However, she did not relent: she continued tackling him, even attempting to bite and scratch his legs. Alarmed, he held out an arm to stop her.

"Eevee, what's wrong?"

She stopped at last, glaring at Lucario, panting heavily. Rage seemed to have rendered her incapable of speech, but something caught Lucario's attention – was it lake water he had seen on her brown eyes, or had she actually been crying?

"What is wrong, Eevee?" he said again, concerned. He crouched down, examining her face. "What happened to you? Did you fall in the lake?"

"None of your business!" she thundered, her voice hoarse and not at all Eevee-like. She seemed to have realised this, for she took in a huge breath and choked in the process.

Lucario patted her back as she began coughing, but she brusquely brushed his paw aside.

"Stop it," she rasped, before launching into another series of coughs.

Lucario straightened up again. What could possibly have unsettled the usually levelheaded Eevee? He felt something brush against his side, and he looked down. Umbreon had finished her drink, and was now eyeing Eevee with apparent interest.

"An Eevee! I used to be one," she said. "Hello. Why are you so wet?"

Eevee glared at Umbreon, and then turned to Lucario. "Traded Absol for a girlfriend, have you?"

Lucario shook his head, though he was glad that Eevee was starting to be her old, composed self again.

Umbreon turned to face Lucario. "She knows Absol too?"

Lucario nodded. "Yes, they've met. We've even been to the city together once."

"I see," she replied, turning back to Eevee. "Are you all right? You don't seem too good."

Eevee shook her head curtly, sending more beads of water flying. "I'm fine. Goodbye."

She walked away towards the trees, and then stopped. Lucario watched with mirth as her head gradually moved upwards before crashing down with a violent sneeze. Eevee grumbled to herself and shook her whole body ferociously to get rid of the remaining droplets of water that were persistently clinging onto her fur. She was about to move again when she sneezed once more.

Wiping her muzzle, she spun around irritably and walked back to Lucario. She turned to Umbreon. "I hate to interrupt your date, but can I borrow this guy here for a while?"

Umbreon nodded, looking amused. "Go ahead."

Eevee grabbed the tails of Lucario's scarf with her teeth and, like a leash, used it to drag him towards a secluded spot in the shade of the pine tree; the same one near the path leading to Xatu's sanctuary.

After glancing around to make sure that nobody was eavesdropping, she turned to the Aura Pokémon. "I've decided to cash in my favour today."

"So soon, Eevee? I would have expected you to hold that over me a little longer."

"The faster I use it, the sooner I get to cut all ties with you," she snapped. "Are you going to do it or not?"

"What do you want me to do?"

Eevee took a deep breath, as though steeling herself to say something embarrassing. At last, with a flick of her tail, she said, "I want to play a game."

Lucario's eyes lit up. "A game, really? Are you sure you're feeling all right, Eevee?"

"I'm fine," she huffed impatiently. "Anyway, I need to gather some stuff for it."

"What kind of stuff?"

Eevee did not reply, but stared blankly at the lake. Lucario followed her gaze, but there was nothing out of the ordinary there. Looking around, he saw that Umbreon had taken shelter under a tree, guarding the berry basket and his paper bag, occasionally eyeing them curiously. The other Pokémon hanging around were minding their own businesses, chatting with companions or playing around.

The jovial atmosphere was marred by pangs of bitterness radiating from the Evolution Pokémon. She was clearly thinking hard about the items needed for her 'game', but she appeared to be distracted by something at the same time. Regardless of what she had said, she did not seem fine to Lucario.

"Do you… have someone you despise, Lucario?"

Lucario looked at her, startled at the sudden melancholic tone in her voice. She was still looking at the lake, her tail lightly thumping the ground, but he could tell that she had her full attention on him. He considered her question for a moment.

"Yes," he replied at last, thinking of Machoke and his gang.

Eevee turned to face him – she appeared to be surprised at his answer. "Really, Lucario? Human or Pokémon?"

"Pokémon."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "And… what would you say is the best way to get back at someone you loathe?"

"Getting back at them? That's a strange question…" Lucario sat down and began playing with a blade of grass, pondering the question. "Attack them?"

"Hmph. Figures. Violence is the only thing you can think of."

Lucario tossed the grass away and watched as it flew gently down to its companions. "What do you suggest then?"

"I was thinking along the lines of pranks, actually."

"Pranks wouldn't work on the ones I despise," he said, laughing. "They would beat me to death."

Eevee clicked her tongue and readjusted her sitting position. "Do I look like I care if pranks would work for you? No, I was thinking of two other Pokémon in the forest… I want you to help me get revenge on them."

"Revenge, Eevee? What have they done to incur your wrath?"

"Never you mind!"

He scrambled a little closer to Eevee, a sudden thought appearing in his head. "Have you been attacked? Did they push you into the lake?"

"I said, mind your own business!" she yelled, pushing him away with her head. "Will you help me or not?"

"If that's what you want me to do, sure, but I don't see why you can't carry out your plan on your own."

She smirked, her tail raised haughtily. "Because I have never played pranks on anyone before, and I have no idea how they are done. Thus, I need to enlist the help of someone who seems like he would know all about childish practical jokes."

He stared at her blankly. "And that someone is me?"

"Who else?" She walked up to him and jabbed a paw at his chest. "I want you to think up of two cruel, painful ways of torture; gather all the necessary equipments, and help me execute them on the two pathetic souls until they beg for mercy. That is the game I want to play."

It was Lucario's turn to smirk at her. "Hmph. Figures. Violence is the only thing you can think of."

"Shut up. Let's get started right away."

"Well, do you mind if you scheme by yourself for a while? I think I should notify Umbreon that I won't be going back to the bakery with her," he said, pointing at the black-furred Pokémon. Umbreon seemed to have fallen asleep, her ear twitching occasionally. "And since we'll be in the forest, I guess I'll stop by my home and keep my scarf. It's a hot day, after all."

"Oh, all right then. I'll wait right here. Is Absol in the cave?"

Lucario stood up and brushed the grass off his fur. "No, he's at the city somewhere. No idea what he's up to. He's been very secretive lately."

Eevee grunted. "Wants to get away from you, I expect."

"You're cruel, Eevee. Well, put that cruelty of yours to work and think about your practical jokes; to be perfectly honest, I've never played pranks before either."

Leaving Eevee under the tree, he strode over to where Umbreon was sleeping. He gently shook her, and she awoke instantly. Stretching and yawning, she gazed drowsily at Lucario with half-open eyes. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"Barely a few minutes. Eevee wants my help with something, so I think I won't be going back to the bakery with you. You do know the way back, don't you?"

She nodded and looked at Eevee, who was staring wistfully at the lake. "Is it something that I can help with?"

"Not unless you know how to devise pranks to be played on some of the forest Pokémon."

Umbreon blinked, staring at Lucario as though she had heard wrong. "Pranks?"

"Apparently she wants to get revenge."

"But that's easy!"

Lucario stared at her in surprise, not expecting this reaction at all. He had always thought of Umbreon as upright and stiff, like Eevee; but here she was, bearing a grin that reminded him of Flaze.

"I think I'll go and have a good chat with her."

"Well, okay. I'll be heading back to my cave to keep my stuff," he said, pointing at the paper bag.

"You do that."

He picked up his package – it was not as warm as earlier; the bread must have cooled down. He bowed to Umbreon and scooted off just as she picked up her basket of berries and walked to a bewildered Eevee.

Lucario ran as fast as he could, not really daring to leave Umbreon in the company of Eevee for long. He was used to the Evolution Pokémon's testy temper, but he wasn't so sure if Umbreon would be able to survive a chat with Eevee without being offended at some point or the other.

Halfway up the mountain, he scanned the summit for signs of Absol, but as expected, his white-furred friend was not waiting by the entrance. As he continued his jog, he dwelled on what Umbreon had revealed to him earlier. So Absol's parents were both dead… and he refused to tell Umbreon the reason for his father's death.

Was that the reason why he was always uncomfortable when Lucario brought up the topic of Xatu? Because he expected Lucario to feel just as unnerved when talking about a deceased parent? Or was it because it reminded Absol of his own father?

Lucario unsealed the entrance and went inside without bothering to close it. Apart from the fact that he would only be there for a short while, relatively few Pokémon ever came to the mountaintop. There was the occasional bird Pokémon, stopping by the summit to rest their wings before flying off again; and, very rarely, a Pokémon or two that fancied a hike. Yet, the only hiker who found out the cave's secret, Lucario thought with a smile, was a young Riolu from so long ago.

The Aura Pokémon removed the book from the paper bag and placed it along with the other tomes. He then placed the bag on his bed, determined to share some of the bread with Absol later. Finally, he removed his scarf and kept it inside his aura-imbued box.

After having a short drink from the water barrel, he set off again, making sure to reseal the entrance with Secret Power. Whereas he had been pondering about Absol on the way up, he mulled over the mystery that was Eevee as he strolled back down.

What had happened to her? Besides being completely drenched, Lucario was sure Eevee had been crying. And here she was, using up her favour – which she hadn't won fairly, he thought – to enlist his help in getting revenge. What exactly did they do to upset her so?

Back in the lake, Lucario found Eevee in the same spot, sitting rigidly with her tail pointing upwards. Umbreon had left; he hoped she didn't have a quarrel with Eevee. Upon seeing him, she snapped out of her trancelike state and beckoned him over, her tail moving side to side again.

"Why," she said angrily, "did you have to blab with that big mouth of yours, telling strangers about my intentions?"

His heart sank – so Eevee wasn't pleased that Umbreon had found out about her plans. The dark-type probably left after having a squabble. "Well… you never said to keep it a secret. Did you argue with her, Eevee? She's Absol's friend, you know."

"Yes, she mentioned that. She left, saying that she'll help me get some items for my pranks."

"She what?" Lucario gasped, completely taken by surprise.

"She gave me some ideas too. Pitfalls and water balloons, Lucario. You'll be doing some digging today."

"Digging?" he echoed. They seemed to have formulated quite a plan in his momentary absence. "And balloons? But, wow, I've never touched a balloon before!" he said excitedly.

She ignored his enthusiastic proclamation. "But I'm planning to do a bit more than that. I asked her if she had a container she could spare, and she said she would bring a cracked bowl for us."

"And what do you plan to do with that?"

She grinned maliciously. "I intend to give my victims a serving of berry juice. Preferably one which would leave a permanent stain…"

Lucario scratched his head as he contemplated Eevee's words. "But… wouldn't that be wasteful? We shouldn't play with our food like that."

Her smile changed into a scowl. "Exactly. No one should play with food."

"So, we're abandoning that plan, yeah?"

"No." Eevee shifted her feet angrily and glared at Lucario. "Now don't go preaching me about what not to do. There are countless more imbeciles in the forest who do not value their food. Go nag them instead."

"But I've never met anyone who –"

"Just because you've never met them, it doesn't mean that they don't exist!" she snapped, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Really, Glass-face, you're – oh, hello."

Lucario turned around; Umbreon had returned with a bunch of items inside a plastic bag. It was strange that he did not notice her approaching, for the bag was swinging noisily from side to side as it hung from Umbreon's teeth.

"I've brought what you needed," she said as she dropped the bag to the ground.

"Thank you very much!" Eevee replied happily, flashing a rare smile as she ran forward to the bag.

Umbreon and Eevee crowded over the bag, both of them chattering away as Umbreon began to take out a small, wooden bowl. Lucario peered over their heads; he had spotted a whole bunch of multi-coloured rubbery objects which he recognised as balloons. He took a red one and began to rub it with his paws.

"Where did you get all this, Umbreon?" he asked.

"Celia sells party items as well, don't you know? People usually buy them along with birthday cakes."

"Hmm."

Lucario walked away from the two, still playing with the red balloon. It was quite stretchable, and it had a strange smell. He placed the open end to his mouth and tried blowing into it, but the balloon would not inflate. He tried again and again, spluttering and sending spit everywhere.

"Will you be quiet over there?" Eevee yelled.

"Sorry!"

He immediately halted his futile efforts, and began to entertain himself by merely stretching it around. The balloon now had his teeth marks all over it, but he hoped Eevee would not mind.

"So, good luck with your pranks!" Umbreon said heartily. She then called out to him, "Bye, Lucario! Tell Absol to come visit sometimes."

He ran back to the duo. "You're leaving?"

"Yes. Celia says thank you, by the way, for the berries." Umbreon's expression suddenly became stern. "And she mentioned that you _paid _for the bread you took earlier? I told you it was on the house!"

"Actually, it is _in _my house now," he corrected her. "But really, I would feel bad if I keep accepting free meals from you both."

"But it's not like you're a complete stranger," Umbreon protested. "Plus, you helped with our berry supply problem. No, Lucario, the next time you come, it's all free. We insist."

There was a finality in her tone that told him it was pointless to argue further. "Well, okay then."

They waved goodbye, and Umbreon ran through the shadows, determined to stay out of the sweltering afternoon sun. Lucario turned to stare at Eevee instead, who was still waving and smiling. The meeting with Umbreon appeared to have cheered her up significantly. She then spun around to face Lucario, the smile transforming into a scowl. He sighed. It just wasn't fair.

"So it's down to work," she said in a businesslike manner, dragging out the wooden bowl. "We need to hurry; I know my two targets' schedule, and we don't have much time to get all the stuff ready."

He pointed at a strange circular object still in the plastic bag. "What's that, Eevee?"

"Adhesive tape. I can't really tie balloons well, and with paws like yours," she cast a disdainful look at his paws, "I can't imagine how you would be able to do so either. Of course, they wouldn't work so well, I'm not sure, but it's better than nothing."

Lucario had taken the roll out, and was now peeling a long strip of tape. "This stuff is amazing!" The tape stuck to his paws, and he tried to yank it off. "Help me, Eevee!"

"Don't waste it!" she cried angrily. "We're going to need all we can get!"

"I didn't mean to, but –" he pulled at it harder, and more of the tape stuck around his arm. "It's kind of grown attached to me…"

Eevee gave an exasperated sigh and grabbed the end of the tape by her teeth. She then pulled it unceremoniously, causing Lucario to yelp. She tossed the tape down to the grass, still attached to its roll – he could see some of his blue fur stuck on it.

She glared at him and said warningly, "You'd better not mess this up, Lucario. I really need this to go well."

"Yeah… I'm sorry."

She gave him another contemptuous look, and then gestured at the bowl. "Go collect some berries. We'll make some juice with them – just a few is enough."

He sighed again. "Yes, Eevee."

And he strode away to the nearest Oran tree, leaving Eevee to herself as she dragged out more balloons from the bag. Several Pokémon at the lake were eyeing her curiously, but apparently, none of them dared to approach her – and for good reason too, he thought miserably.

Lucario returned minutes later, carrying five Oran berries. Eevee stared at the berries as he approached, disbelief etched on her face.

"Is that even sufficient?" she said. "You'll drive me to my grave, Lucario, you really will."

"I don't know how to drive," he said as he dropped the berries by her side. "We could walk there instead, if you want. Where is it?"

"You –! Are you really that stupid? Is there nothing but dust and dirt in that head of yours?"

"_That_," he said indignantly, folding his arms, "was a joke, Eevee. I'm not as stupid as you think I am."

"Well, you're doing an extremely poor job of showing it," she spat. "Hurry up! I guess we have no choice but to make do with these berries. Just my luck to have you helping me. Go squish them all up in the bowl – try to get as much juice as possible."

"Why me, and not you?"

"Do I look like I want to get my paws dirty?"

"Well, fine, but what are you going to do?"

She grabbed a green balloon with her paw and jerked her head towards the lake. "I'll try filling this up with water. After that, you help me tape the end so that the water doesn't spill out."

The two of them got to work, with Lucario pounding at the berries with his paw and Eevee attempting to fill the balloon with as much water as possible. It was a messy job for both of them: his paws were splattered with bits of Oran berries, and Eevee had somehow gotten wet again as she tried to scoop the lake water.

After a balloon was filled up, Eevee would beckon Lucario over. He would bring the tape and wind it around the balloon's mouth, making it as tight as possible so no leakage would occur. Eevee would then place the water balloon on the grass, where it wobbled comically, and lament about how it was not as big as she hoped it would be. The adhesive tape did the job surprisingly well, though the water would occasionally spill out if they held the balloon with its mouth facing down.

"I still think it's better to tie them up," he said, after a few balloons had been taped up. He picked up a balloon and removed the tape, stretching the mouth in an attempt at tying them. Eevee watched on, clearly sceptical.

Tying the balloon was certainly tricky, and the same technique when tying his scarf could not really be applied here, but Lucario managed to do it in the end. He placed it down in front of Eevee joyfully. "There. Isn't that much better?"

"Don't brag," she said. "Since you like tying so much, you can tie the rest."

With that, Lucario was then forced to tie up the remaining balloons as well as work on the berries while Eevee filled the balloons with water. Once, Lucario accidentally pierced a balloon with the spike on his paw, puncturing a big hole in it. The water had splashed onto his torso, and Eevee was torn between amusement and anger – happy that he had gotten his fur wet, but irate that he had wasted a perfectly good balloon.

After what felt like ages, Eevee told Lucario to stop. She walked over to him and examined the wooden bowl. "Hmm… passable, I guess. There're still large chunks of berries visible… but I guess we could toss it at them anyway. Now hurry up and help me put all the water balloons into the plastic bag, and mind you do it properly. If you break a single one again, I'll _kill_ you."

"You wouldn't. Who would help you with your pranks then?"

She squinted at him and smiled dangerously. "Try me."

Shuddering, he did as he was told, placing the balloons gingerly into the bag while Eevee watched like a guard. When he was done, he turned to her. "Now what?"

"Now we dig. Wait, let me rephrase that. Now, _you_ dig. Carry the bag and the bowl; we're going to the spot where my target will be later."

Lucario took the roll of tape, which had only about half a roll remaining, and dropped it into the bag along with the water balloons. He picked the bowl up, careful not to spill its contents, and followed behind Eevee as she led him to her destination.

After a few minutes of walking, she glanced back at him irritably. "Will you hurry up?"

"I can't, Eevee," he replied. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm carrying a bowl of juice. If I walk too fast, I'll spill them. Furthermore, the balloons are extremely delicate."

She growled impatiently, but dropped the subject.

"So, are you going to tell me who your victims are?"

"Oh, just a Bidoof and Shinx," she said casually without looking back at him. "I doubt you know them."

"And why them?"

"That is none of your business. Keep your overgrown snout away from matters that are not of your concern."

He touched his muzzle subconsciously. "My… my snout is overgrown?"

"Pity your brain is _under-grown_ though," she said, and though Lucario couldn't see her face, he knew she was smirking.

"Hmph. You underestimate me. I bet I know many things that you don't."

"I don't care about what you know, as long as you know how to dig."

Eevee continued to lead the way, following a path that he had only taken once or twice in the past. He knew that the path led to a river eventually – he had been there once as a Riolu. His lack of courage had prevented him to explore further, but now, perhaps he would have a look around when he was done with Eevee's task.

To his disappointment, Eevee veered down a different path before they reached the river, turning into a small clearing instead. She stopped here, and motioned for Lucario to place all the items down, which he did so carefully.

"The Shinx always comes here around this time. Right under this tree," she said, tapping the trunk of a large Razz berry tree. "He frequently sits here –" she pointed at the base of the tree "– and gorges himself silly with those Razz berries. Despicable little Shinx, he is."

"If you loathe him so much, why do you know his everyday routine?"

"Stop probing. Now, I want you to dig a deep hole here, and then we'll wait in the bush behind the tree. Then, when he goes down like this," she slammed her paw forcefully onto the ground, "I'll tip the bowl of Oran juice slowly, where it'll trickle down his face and hopefully drown him. Or it would, if you'd just brought me a little more berries," she said, flaring up again.

Lucario cringed as he pictured in his mind a Shinx drowning in Oran juice. "From harmless pranks to murder now, Eevee? What if he sees you?"

"He won't," she said confidently. "And after we're done with him, we'll move on to the Bidoof. Now get to work."

Lucario began to dig, sending dirt flying behind him. He was reminded horribly of the time he dug Xatu's grave, but he ploughed on, with Eevee barking commands from the side.

After a while, he stood up straight and stared at Eevee. They were both at eyelevel now. "Right, how's this?"

Eevee stared at him as though he was mad. "You must be joking. I can still see your head. Keep digging!"

"But Eevee, if I dig too deep, it'll hurt him when he falls!"

"That's the whole idea!" she yelled. "And even then, it's not enough!"

He sighed, and continued working his paws through the ground. Deeper and deeper he sunk… Eevee had stopped calling out orders, and the only sound that could be heard were the rustling of leaves… his arms were aching…

"Is this okay now, Eevee?" he called out. He could not even see anything beyond the top of the pit anymore.

Eevee's face appeared over the top of the hole, a long twig in her mouth. "Yes… I guess that's fine. Now get out of there and help me cover the hole with leaves and branches."

He stretched both his arms upwards to Eevee, like a child wanting to be picked up by his mother. "Help me up."

She threw her head backwards in disgust. "Get out of there yourself." She then disappeared out of sight again, presumably to gather more twigs.

Lucario sighed again – he seemed to be doing that a lot today. The Aura Pokémon jumped and grabbed the edge of the hole, pulling himself up to the ground. "That's quite a deep hole…"

Eevee ran back to him and dropped yet another branch onto a whole pile she had created. "Deep, and narrow; so it'll be easy to cover up, and hard to get out from. I must say I'm impressed."

He took a long branch and propped it across the hole. "I'd rather you be impressed with my other abilities instead of hole-digging."

Eevee laughed derisively as she did the same with a smaller bough. "What other abilities, Lucario? You have none."

"I grow weary of your sarcasm. You get along well with Umbreon; you get along well with Absol… why not me, Eevee? What do you have against me?"

Eevee did not respond. Lucario carried on with covering the hole – the pit itself was dug directly next to the tree trunk, where Eevee claimed the Shinx liked to rest. He personally thought that the Shinx would be incredibly naïve if he were to fall for a trap like that: the heap of sticks contrasted clearly with the flat grass surrounding it. It wasn't until the hole was completely obscured did he notice that Eevee was sitting idly, staring at him with an odd expression on her face.

"What?"

She hurriedly turned her gaze to the pit. "Nothing. I guess this will do. Now we just hide in the bushes and wait."

And so they waited. Eevee held on to the bowl, her eyes constantly scanning the area for signs of her victim-to-be. Lucario did not share her enthusiasm, and was instead examining every inch of a Razz berry he had picked from the tree.

He had eaten one before; it was mildly spicy, and goes along well with other berries. He couldn't imagine gorging on nothing but Razz berries though – that Shinx must have a strong stomach. Lucario was about to pop the berry in his mouth when he heard voices in the distance.

"We really should do it again…"

"Yeah, that was really awesome! All of us, united as one, chasing the villain away!"

Eevee peered through the bushes to have a better look at the newcomers while Lucario identified them through their aura instead. A Shinx was walking towards the tree with a Pachirisu, and the both of them were chattering brightly.

"He's not alone!" Lucario whispered to Eevee.

The Evolution Pokémon was smiling, however. "That's fine. So much the better." And indeed, Eevee was emitting waves of savage pleasure.

Lucario stared uncertainly at Eevee for a moment before he poked his head slightly out of the bush. The Pachirisu was pointing at the pile of twigs under the tree.

"Look, someone's dumped their rubbish on your usual spot," he said, pointing.

The Shinx shrugged. "It looks like a comfortable bed, actually. I wouldn't mind lying on it. Come on, Patch, let's have a feast to celebrate our victory!"

"My name is Pachirisu…"

But Shinx wasn't listening. He had taken a running start, jumping gracefully into the air and diving into the pile as though it was a swimming pool. There was a loud rustle and a thud as the black and blue Pokémon fell into the pit along with the branches.

Pachirisu gasped, running forward to the edge of the pit, from which Shinx emitted a low groan. "Are you okay?"

"H–help me… please…"

Eevee chuckled and said softly, "Do you think it would be a good idea if I go up and push Pachirisu down too?"

"He'll see you," Lucario reasoned. "And then you'll be in trouble."

She pouted. "But revenge isn't much fun if they didn't know that I'm behind it." However, Eevee did not argue further. Instead, she contented herself by watching Pachirisu's futile attempts at hauling Shinx up.

"You really should go easy with the Razz berries," grunted Pachirisu. His paws were gripping onto a large branch, and Lucario knew Shinx was probably holding on at the other end. "You're extremely heavy."

Shinx whimpered.

"Come on, make an effort to hoist yourself up too… No – no – don't struggle!"

From their hiding place, Lucario could see Pachirisu losing his balance as he swayed a little. Then, there was another loud thud as the white-furred Pokémon hurtled forwards into the pit, falling on top of the poor Shinx.

Lucario felt a sudden chill run down his spine as he was showered with waves of thrill and glee from Eevee. His little partner in crime shoved him playfully on the shoulder, beaming widely.

"That was what I'm hoping for!" Her paw accidentally brushed against the bowl of Oran juice, nearly tipping it over. "Oh, right! I forgot!"

She picked the bowl in her teeth and ran to the pit stealthily. Making sure that she remained hidden from her victims' optical range, she gently tipped the bowl forwards. A trickle of blue juice flowed down into the hole, occasionally followed by a few lumps of Oran berry which Lucario had failed to squash completely. The cries for help from the two Pokémon stopped immediately, replaced by yells of disgust.

"Ew!"

"What is this stuff?"

"Is anyone up there, throwing this stuff down? Please stop it and help us!"

Eevee padded back to Lucario. He noticed that the bowl was still half full.

She dropped the bowl besides him and stared happily back at the hole. Shinx and Pachirisu were yelling for help again. "Stage one, success."

"We've got to help them."

All the excitement radiating from Eevee evaporated. She stared at Lucario blankly. "What?"

"They might be stuck there for hours, Eevee. I shouldn't have dug it so deep – they've suffered a great shock, we should help them now."

"You're crazy. Don't you dare, Lucario, no, don't you – hey!"

Ignoring Eevee, Lucario made his way to the pit. He looked down at the pair; Pachirisu seemed anxious, while Shinx looked as though he would burst into tears at any moment. They both looked immensely relieved that someone had discovered them.

"Excuse me, sir, can you help us?" the Pachirisu asked, while Shinx nodded fervently.

"Sure, grab onto my paw." He stretched out his arm and both of them reached for it eagerly. "Um… one at a time…"

Pushing Pachirisu aside, Shinx latched himself around his arm, eyeing the spike warily. Lucario began to hoist him up – he was indeed heavy, despite not looking it. Shinx continued holding on to Lucario's arm even after he was out of the pit.

"You can let go now; you're safe."

Shinx released his grip and edged as far away from the pit as he could – he had a large chunk of Oran berry on his head. "Oh… thank you, thank you, thank you!"

He chuckled lightly. "No problem. I'll get your friend up now."

Once again, Lucario reached into the hole, pulling up Pachirisu. When he was safely back on the ground, Pachirisu did a little skip while Shinx laughed weakly. The only one not happy was Eevee: Lucario could feel her anger piercing through him like a hot knife. He was in trouble.

"Thank you, sir!" Shinx and Pachirisu chorused together.

"Um… it's nothing, really." He decided it was best not to mention that it was his fault in the first place. "Just be careful next time."

"Well, we should be going." Shinx stared furtively at the Razz tree, as though it had betrayed him. "I think I'll look elsewhere for food. Be seein' ya!"

Lucario waved at them as they scampered away.

"Looking for food again?" said the Pachirisu in apparent disgust. "You really should go on a diet…"

"Oh, be quiet, Patch; perhaps it's you who should train up… fancy not being able to lift me up!"

"It's Pachirisu! And don't you dare shift the blame to me; it's all your fault!"

They continued squabbling into the distance, their voices slowly becoming inaudible as they vanished from sight. There was an abrupt rustle from behind him, and he knew it was Eevee, emerging from the bush.

"Idiot!" she yelled, running forward. "So that was your plan all along, huh? Trying to play the hero and looking good? You –" she tackled him "– idiot!"

"Eevee, calm down, please… how would you like it if it was you in the hole?"

"You should be in the hole instead! And I'd bury you alive!" She pawed at the ground furiously, kicking up a chunk of earth. "I should have done that while you were still digging!"

"Cheer up, Eevee… you've had your fun, haven't you?" He patted her back brightly. "Come on, the water balloons are waiting to be tossed."

At this, Eevee paused, looking up at the sky. She studied the sun's location for a few minutes. "We should get going. Bidoof will arrive at his place soon."

"Sure!" Lucario ran to the bushes to retrieve the bag of balloons, glad that Eevee's anger had abated.

The two of them trekked through the forest again, with Eevee leading the way. This time, they took the path to the river, much to Lucario's delight. The place was just as he remembered, with the water rushing gently down, and a few water Pokémon swimming on its surface. There appeared to be more Pokémon in the vicinity than in the lake; perhaps the area was habitat to many of them. He dropped a few subtle hints to Eevee that they should stop and rest, but she disregarded them all. Finally giving up, he decided that he would come here on his own one day.

As they approached a row of berry trees which looked as though they might have been planted there by a human, what with the careful spacing and all, Eevee halted Lucario. She gestured for him to remain quiet, and pointed at a figure sitting under one of the trees, gnawing on an Oran berry. It was a Bidoof – the same one he had met earlier.

"Hey, I know him…"

She dragged Lucario towards yet another bush. "I'm sure you do," Eevee drawled, placing the bowl she had been carrying on the ground. "Pidgey of a feather flock together."

Lucario shook his head, thankful that he was able to comprehend the idiom. "Well, I know him, but it's not like we run in the same circles or anything. I thought he was supposed to be in a party…"

"We'll give him a party all right. Here, drop the bag on the floor; we'll split the balloons between us."

He obeyed. Eevee took out a few balloons and placed them at the side.

"Give me some of the blue ones," he said enthusiastically, "they match my fur."

Eevee glared at him, but pushed a few blue balloons his way. After she finished dividing the balloons between them, she stared intently at the Aura Pokémon. "Look here – if you mess this up again…"

"All right, all right… I hear you…"

"Good. Now, we split up. Stay hidden in the bushes, like earlier, and when I toss the first balloon, you start throwing yours too. Throw them with as much force as you can."

Lucario nodded and stared at the Bidoof as he chewed the berry innocently. "What has he ever done to you?"

She hissed irritably. "We've already agreed that your nose is too big for your own good. Now hurry up, he isn't as greedy as the Shinx. He'll be gone before we know it."

Lucario scooped up his share of the water balloons and proceeded to a bush on the other side, walking as quietly as he could. Eevee had opted to remain where she was, seeing as she had readied her ammo in a small pile there. As such, Bidoof was now surrounded at both sides, though he remained blissfully unaware of the pickle he would soon be in.

The blue-furred Pokémon picked up a blue balloon and held it firmly on his paws, almost forgetting to keep it away from his chest spike. As much as he hated to attack the Bidoof, he felt a certain thrill at the thought of lobbing water balloons at another.

Bidoof popped the last bit of berry into his mouth and got up. At this, Eevee poked her head out of the bush, a red balloon dangling oddly from her mouth. She gave a forceful jerk of the head and sent it whizzing like a missile at the unsuspecting Bidoof. The balloon hit Bidoof squarely in the back, the impact causing it to burst and splatter him with water.

"What the…" He looked behind him, but Eevee had already sunk back into the shrubs. Bidoof bent down to examine the remains of the balloon. Lucario took aim, but Eevee was faster – she shot yet another balloon, this time knocking Bidoof to the ground.

Bidoof quickly got up again, looking around wildly. "Who's that?" He stopped and stared at the bush Eevee was hiding in.

Lucario took this as the cue for his turn: he lobbed his balloon towards Bidoof, and it soared in a wide arc before hitting the top of his head. It did not explode with the force that Eevee's balloons had, but it burst and doused Bidoof all the same.

Before he could recover from the sudden attack, Eevee launched another shot which hit Bidoof in the face. Lucario had to marvel at the amount of strength she put into her shots – she must really hate Bidoof. Oh well, at least he wasn't on the receiving end.

The overwhelmed expression on Bidoof's face roused his sympathy, however. Bidoof had given up trying to find the source of the flying balloons – which he apparently believed to be a human, based on his thoughts – and was now trying to make a run for it. Unfortunately for him, Eevee was not so forgiving, and her accuracy was flawless to boot. Bidoof stood no chance – he was drenched from head to tail in no time.

The only thing Lucario could do to help Bidoof was to miss on purpose. He made more slow lobs, which were easy to spot and avoid. Bidoof managed to sidestep each of these throws, and soon, Lucario found himself out of ammo. Eevee was still throwing balloons though; apparently, she had taken more of the balloons for herself.

But even she had to run out of balloons at some point. When the last of the balloons met its target, Bidoof was reduced to a cowering pile of fur. After a few seconds without being attacked, he removed his paws from his eyes and peeked around hopefully. He then ran as fast as his legs could carry him, dripping a trail of water in his wake.

Lucario waited until he was gone, and then got out from the bushes. Eevee was already waiting for him, and she did not look happy at all.

"What was that all about?" she demanded, her tail stiff.

He tried to look innocent. "What?"

"You missed most of your shots! Was that on purpose, or were you really that horrible at aiming?"

He shifted his feet guiltily, averting his eyes from Eevee. A mistake.

She lowered the front of her body into a fighting stance. "I knew it! You were _sympathising _with him! He doesn't deserve your sympathy!"

Lucario placed both paws behind his back and looked down at his feet. Eevee began to pace up and down, muttering under her breath. At last, she stopped and glowered at him.

"One more prank."

Lucario looked up at her in surprise. "One more, Eevee? I thought we agreed on just two?"

Her eyes flashed angrily as she strode towards him. "You did such a pathetic job on both that you should be glad I'm letting you off with just one more prank!"

"Fine… I'll do it. What sort of prank do you have in mind?"

"I still have that bowl of juice, and some water balloons, so –"

"Wait, water balloons? I thought you used them all up!"

She turned on him again. "I would have, but after seeing you betray me, I thought I would save some up for the third prank. Come and help me carry them!"

So once again, Lucario was led by Eevee to an unknown destination. There were only a few water balloons left, though the plastic bag was also filled with the rubbish they had created earlier – Lucario had insisted that they pick up the torn balloons before leaving, much to Eevee's frustration.

Not long later, they arrived at the top of a hill. Lucario, who was feeling a little sleepy, stopped abruptly. He gazed around the surrounding area, a wave of nostalgia suddenly running through him. His voice quivered as he spoke, "But this is… this…"

He dropped the bag onto the ground and ran down the hill, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. The tall trees, the neat grass… It was exactly as he remembered it. "The place where I hatched…" he whispered to himself.

He ran around the clearing, running his paws through the grass. That was one of the first things he did when he hatched… He stood up straight and beamed at Eevee. Though he was an avid explorer as a Riolu, he had never found this place again. But now Eevee had led him here. It was as though he had regained a little bit of his childhood.

"Why are you running around like a lunatic?" she asked.

"Eevee, this is the place where I hatched! How did you come to know of this place?"

She seemed surprised at this bit of information. "You hatched here? Did you use to live in this area or something?"

He shook his head and ran about again. "No. My egg was left here all alone. I wandered around after I hatched, and finally found a home in the cave."

"What do you mean, 'your egg was left here alone'? You mean your parents were travellers? And they soon decided to settle down in that cave with you?"

He shook his head again, laughing. "No, no. I never met my real parents. The father I told you about – he's a Xatu. He took me in and has cared for me ever since."

Eevee considered this for a moment. "So you were abandoned…"

"Yeah." Lucario stopped in front of a tree. He approached it slowly as more memories flooded into him like a tidal wave. "And this tree…" He lunged forward and hugged it, careful not to damage the trunk with his spike. "This tree helped me attain my freedom from the egg. I hugged it then, too. Hello, tree… do you remember me? I'm a Lucario now…"

He released his grip and stared down at the base of the tree. "Ah, of course… the rest of my eggshell is no longer here…" He spun around and faced Eevee again. "But you haven't answered my question, Eevee. How did you come to know of this place?"

"I… I just know the area, that's all."

"Well, okay!" He ran up to her happily. "Let's get on with your prank. I'll promise not to disappoint this time. I'm so happy right now… I really must thank you for showing me this place again… So what's your plan, Eevee?"

For some reason, Eevee looked uncomfortable at this. "I guess… I guess it's all right. I don't need to do it anymore."

"No, Eevee, it's fine. I'll help you. Come on, tell me!"

She flashed a nervous smile. "If you say so then. I wish to gather a few more items. See those trees over there?" Eevee pointed towards a group of trees growing very close to one another. "One of them grows apples. I think I'll pluck a few of them."

"Oh, wonderful! Apple trees aren't so common around here. I can bring some back to the cave too." He bounded over to the tree while Eevee followed hesitantly behind. True to her word, there was a large apple tree; it was not too tall, but its leaves spread out in a wide circle like an open umbrella. There were many branches hanging low, with bright red fruits growing everywhere.

Lucario picked an apple and felt around its smooth skin. "A Shinx once gave me an apple. That was so long ago… Ha… memories of a Riolu… How many do you want?"

Her tail began pounding silently on the ground. "Look, I don't think I need to do this anymore."

"Why?"

She paused. "I don't wish to befoul your memories of this place."

He chuckled, handing Eevee the apple. "You don't need to worry about that. Nothing can tarnish my memories."

"Are you really sure?"

"Positive."

Eevee nodded, her mouth curved into a malicious smile. "So be it. Give me about six apples. I'll use them together with the remaining balloons as well as the leftover juice."

Lucario spun around to the tree and began picking the apples. "Wow, that sounds like an elaborate plan. You must really, really hate this guy."

Eevee mumbled indistinctly.

He tossed a few more apples her way. "So what's my role in this?"

"I have learnt that you cannot be trusted, so you won't have a direct role. You'll be the distraction – keep talking to him, and I'll do the rest."

"And who's this 'him'?"

She grinned slyly. "You'll find out soon enough."

Apparently, as Lucario soon found out, Eevee had a different vantage point in mind this time. Instead of lurking in bushes, she chose to perch on a high branch with the help of Lucario. At her instructions, Lucario passed the items to Eevee: the bowl of Oran juice, the remaining water balloons, and six apples.

It took her a lot of effort to prevent the items from falling off, and even so, a few water balloons were lost when they cascaded down the tree. Lucario – who had dodged them in time – half expected Eevee to blame him somehow for this loss, but she merely shrugged indifferently.

When everything was ready, she instructed Lucario to stay under the tree she was on. According to her, her victim would soon arrive in search of apples. He must then lure the victim over and stage an elaborate conversation. After that, she would handle the rest.

With that, Lucario stood in wait in the tree's shade, glancing around happily at the scenery. He had made up his mind to visit this place again and again – he was sure he knew the way now. The quickest way here would be past the river… perhaps his cowardice as a Riolu was what prevented him from finding his hatch-place.

His thoughts were interrupted when an apple fell from above, smacking him in the head. "Ow! Eevee! Be more careful!"

He looked upwards at Eevee, but was met with another apple, which bounced off his face. He quickly bent down and cowered, using both his paws to shelter his head. More apples rained on him, and one of them was impaled by his paw-spike. When it seemed to have stopped at last, he looked up again.

Lucario could make out a faint sneer on Eevee's face. She was holding on to the bowl with her mouth, which she began to tip at him. A trickle of sticky juice ran down his fur, followed by a few lumps of berries. He squeezed his eyes painfully as some of the juice entered them – but Eevee was not finished.

The water balloons came next, of course. The upside to it was that the water washed his fur clean, but it still felt horrible to be on the receiving end of the balloon barrage. And amidst all the confusion and chaos, a modicum of hurt crept through his mind as realisation dawned on him…

For the grand finale, Eevee dropped the wooden bowl, hitting him on the head again with a dull clunk. Unable to contain her mirth, she burst out laughing as she leapt down to rejoin the soaked and bewildered Aura Pokémon.

Lucario removed the apple from his spike, staring at Eevee glumly. "Me, Eevee? I… I am the one you really hate?"

"Your – face," she said, cackling. "Funny – your expression…" Evidently, her laughter had rendered her incapable of speaking in complete sentences.

Lucario just stood there with his ears pressed against the back of his head, quite unsure of how he should react. He supposed he should have seen that coming…

"Well," Eevee spluttered, trying to regain composure, "that's the end of your favour then. You're free now." She laughed again. "I told you, didn't I? I told you that we needn't proceed with the third prank! But you insisted. You only have yourself to blame!"

"But Eevee… I'm the one you hate the most?"

"Oh, I never said that." She cleared her throat. "You're despicable, it's true. If it is any consolation though, you are not as bad as the other three."

"Hmph." Lucario shook his arms, trying to rid himself of the water. "I guess that's something, at the very least." He stared at all the items lying on the ground. "And what a waste of all these apples. I suppose you won't mind if I bring them home?"

She shook her head, now eyeing Lucario with interest. "Go knock yourself out."

"Again with that expression," he grumbled. "What about the bowl though? The plastic bag? And the roll of adhesive tape?"

"Just toss them in the trash the next time you're in the city. Umbreon doesn't want them anymore."

"I presume I can take them home too?"

She chuckled. Her mood had changed completely now that she had played a prank on Lucario. "What for?"

"As a souvenir."

"Well, go ahead. I'm leaving." She strutted slowly to the hill, occasionally letting out a small laugh. Lucario stared after her, his mind working quickly.

"Hey, Eevee!"

She turned around. "What?"

"A favour."

"I beg your pardon?"

"For pulling a cruel joke on me like that, I expect a favour from you! Don't forget!"

She let out an indignant cry. "Where did that come from? That's not fair, I –"

"It wasn't fair when you claimed I lost the bet either. You escaped before I could protest."

Eevee turned away in a huff, resuming her small paces. "Whatever."

"Here," he said, taking the roll of tape and tossing it towards her. It landed soundlessly on the grass besides her. Eevee looked down at it before turning to Lucario with a questioning gaze. "So that you remember what you owe me," he explained with a grin.

She grunted, but to his amazement, picked up the tape with her teeth and began to walk away again.

"Goodbye then, Eevee! Unlike you, I intend to keep this favour for as long as I can!" he threatened.

Now that he was left to his own devices, Lucario took the plastic bag and kept the bowl and apples in it. He scooped up the remains of the water balloons too, not wishing to leave rubbish behind. He then spent the rest of the time picking more apples – he wondered if Absol had tasted them before.

The familiar orange glow had sunk into the forest, a sign that it would soon be nightfall. The plastic bag was heavy and full now, looking as if it would tear apart if more strain was added to it. Satisfied with what he had gathered, Lucario set off for home after bidding farewell to the tree he had hugged earlier.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

_Umbreon revealed some interesting information today. Apparently, Absol's parents were dead – and he refused to state why his father died. She also told me that he believed himself to be a misfortune harbinger. I think I'm starting to understand Absol now. I just hope he'll be okay._

It was already night, but Absol had yet to return. Lucario left the cave unsealed; he was thinking of going to sleep soon. It had been a long day, and he was extremely exhausted.

_I met Eevee. She was soaked; I have no idea why. She then decided to cash in on her __favour__, and made me follow her around the forest as she played pranks on some of the forest folks. I went lenient on them, so she got mad at me. Again. She then emptied all her stuff on me as I stood under a tree, as though I was a dustbin. The one good thing out of this whole ordeal was that I have finally found the place where I hatched. It's the hill past the river. _

Unlike the tokens he had collected in the past, he had placed the plastic bag in a corner of the cave instead of within the crate. He felt the bag was too big and bulky, and soggy too. Still, he had removed the wooden bowl and placed it next to Julie's paper plane. The apples, of course, went to the fruit basket.

_The bag of rubbish, a symbol of fun? I guess it has been a sort of party. Eevee had all the fun, while I was left to clean up afterwards. The broken bits of the balloons and the wooden bowl – it took a lot of effort to set up this game, but now it's over. It's good to experience a thrill every now and then, especially for someone like Eevee, even if it would involve some sacrifice on another's part. I should have known she would target me… guess my lack of foresight led me to game over. _

He kept the journal back into the box, and upon seeing the scarf tucked neatly inside, felt thankful that he had not worn it in the forest. Imagine what would have become of it if he had it on when Eevee poured the juice on him…

Sighing once more, he curled up in his hay-bed, deciding not to wait for Absol. Pulling his bolster closer, he closed his eyes, the gentle breeze from outside soothing him into sleep. It might have been mere minutes, he did not know, but he soon found himself being prodded by an unknown entity.

Lucario blinked, finding himself staring at Absol's red eyes. The Disaster Pokémon seemed tired, but determined.

"I am really sorry, Lucario. It's rude of me to wake you up."

Lucario sat up. "No, it's fine. Is anything the matter?"

"I…" Absol looked downwards as he shifted his feet. He took a deep breath, raised his head again, and spoke in a firm voice, "I need your assistance with something."

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Next time, on I Am Lucario…

"_You can read minds – you can read memories! You can find out the truth… you'll be able to help us, whereas I… I couldn't do anything…"_

Absol's chapter! It'll be up around the end of August.


	9. No One Was Listening

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon

Chapter ten will mark the conclusion of the Absol saga. Chapter eleven will begin the next phase, in which the story might skip ahead a few months. More on this in the next chapter.

In response to **Anonymous1**; thank you! Indeed, Eevee is spiteful. I must confess though, she turned out a little differently from what I originally intended. The previous chapter, for instance, was not in my original plans for this story, but it'll tie in just nice with a future chapter. Thanks once again!

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

It was not often that Lucario found himself in the city at night; especially not this late. The moon peeked through the clouds, shining down on the Aura Pokémon as he followed Absol. His white-furred friend had not elaborated on what he needed help with, but from his expression, Lucario could tell that it was something big and serious – certainly not like the harmless pranks he had done with Eevee earlier.

Even without being told anything, Lucario had guessed that Absol would lead him to the city's outskirts; and he was right. They passed Celia's bakery, dark and lonely without any lights or the usual delectable scent wafting from it. Greg's mansion could be seen in the distance – the lights in his room were on, despite the lateness of the hour.

Absol kept peering up and down the desolate streets, looking wary and battle-ready. Lucario couldn't help but feel nervous; Absol was acting as though they would be attacked at any moment. It did not help that he had forgotten to don his scarf, though he noticed that Absol lacked his green kerchief as well.

"Absol-sir, do you know what time it is?"

Absol turned his head towards Lucario, staring at the Aura Pokémon sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't interrupt your sleep."

Lucario shook his head hastily. "No, I was not being sarcastic. I was just wondering if you knew the time."

"Oh." He resumed scouting the streets, looking distracted. "I guess it is past midnight, but I can't be too sure."

They did not speak much after that. Absol continued prowling about, leading Lucario towards a housing area. As Lucario ran along on the sidewalk, his eyes fell upon a metallic sign that seemed to shine in the moonlight: "Welcome to Silver Lane".

Silver Lane… the name was familiar somehow, but he was not sure where he had heard it before. The area consisted of a single, straight road, with houses on both sides of it. At the very end, there was a cul-de-sac, and a solitary house. Several tall trees of Silver Forest could be seen looming over the house.

From the look on Absol's face, Lucario deduced that his destination was somewhere in the vicinity. "Absol-sir, why did we have to make a detour through the outskirts if this area is connected to Silver Forest?"

"The streets are easier to navigate, don't you think? Besides, I wanted to scour the area. And of course, no one's about. But it doesn't change a thing even if they were here… ha." There was such scorn in his voice that Lucario did not dare probe further.

After making absolutely sure that there wasn't anyone, Absol broke into a sprint. Bewildered, Lucario followed, their shadows dancing under the illumination provided by the streetlights. It became clear where Absol was heading: the lone house at the end of the cul-de-sac.

They stopped at its front, and Lucario took the time to gaze at it fully. Even in the darkness of the night, its white coat of paint was apparent. A few potted plants lay on a rack next to the green front door – they seemed well-cared for. Absol walked towards the plant nearest to him and bent his head. He then turned back to Lucario, a key dangling from his mouth. He tossed it over. "No one knows it was hidden there. Except my ex-roommate… And me, of course."

Absol jerked his head towards the door. "Go on. I think it's easier for you to use a key."

Lucario looked from Absol to the door, the key in his paws. "Ex-roommate… so this is where you used to live, Absol-sir?"

He grinned. "You graciously welcomed me to your home… now it's my turn."

"Is it really okay for me to go in as well? Won't your ex-roommate or anyone else be surprised to see a forest Pokémon with you?"

Absol shook his head and stared wistfully at the door. "Nobody's home."

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Nine: No One Was Listening**

"_The thunder roared, the rain was screaming; the world was ending, but no one was listening."_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Lucario felt a strange chill the moment he set foot into the house's wooden floorboards. There was a certain aura surrounding the place unlike any he had encountered before, and it was difficult to identify it. For some reason, he felt frightened, suddenly filled with a desire to step back out into the fresh night air.

Steeling himself, he peered around. "It's a lovely home," he told Absol, and he was not lying. Sinister aura aside, the home looked incredibly welcoming and cozy, even in the darkness. From the entrance hallway, he gazed into the living room, where he could make out a large carpet spread on the floor, topped with a few sofas and tables. At the corner of the room stood a television set, looking as though it was inviting Lucario to turn it on.

The moon outside shone through the window, dimly illuminating a shelf where several vases were displayed neatly, boasting various exotic flowers. Lucario could just picture Absol sitting on the sofa, watching television with his roommate, who remained faceless.

A sudden click startled Lucario. He spun around to find that Absol had flicked a switch on. There was a low buzz, and a few seconds later, the lights flashed on to reveal the living room in all its glory.

"Are you sure it's okay to turn the lights on? Won't the neighbours notice it?"

Absol considered this for a moment. "You know, you are right." He quickly flicked the switch off, and they were swallowed by the darkness again. "Do you think you can make your way around without the lights though?"

"I think so. Er… what do you want me to help you with?"

"It's… why don't you take a look around first?"

Lucario hid his surprise. "Okay."

Just like the time in Greg's mansion, Lucario began to walk around the house, with Absol following behind like an ever-ready tour guide. The atmosphere this time was different though – it was no longer light-hearted exploration; instead, it felt like a bizarre investigation. Absol skulked behind him patiently, but the tension radiating from him was overwhelming.

The hallway they were in connected not only to the living room, but to several other rooms as well. As Lucario walked slowly down the hall, he spotted a bedroom, a kitchen, a study, and yet another bedroom towards the end of the hallway.

"A little light over here wouldn't hurt," Absol said. He turned on another switch, and a small lamp on the wall sprung to life, giving a dim, orange glow. "I doubt the neighbours would spot that."

Lucario nodded, and looked around again with the aid of the lamp. The eerie waves were still reverberating around the walls; he could not even pinpoint the source of it. Trying his best to ignore them, he slipped into the study.

"Well, you needn't worry about the lights here," Absol exclaimed brightly, fumbling with a switch on the wall. The room was then bathed in a white light – Lucario squeezed his eyes shut, not used to the sudden brightness.

After looking around the room carefully, he saw what Absol meant. "No windows."

"That's right."

There was nothing in the study that looked out of the ordinary. It was furnished with the usual furniture, and perhaps the thing that stood out the most was a large bookcase laden with humongous tomes. Lucario walked over to it and ran his eyes through the titles printed on their spines. All of the books looked as though they had never been read before…

"My ex-roommate was never much of a reader," said Absol, chuckling softly. "She told me that these books were meant to deceive her visitors – give them the impression that she reads a lot."

"Oh, I see." Lucario walked away from the bookcase; he had just spotted a computer sitting on a table strewn with documents. It was covered with a dusty white cloth.

Absol walked up to it and removed the cloth. "This is a computer. People use it to do all sorts of things."

In spite of himself, Lucario felt excitement building in him. "I know, I've read about them. Is it still functional?"

"I think so. Let me turn it on." Absol pressed a circular button on a large rectangle device next to the monitor. The computer remained lifeless. "Might be broken…"

"Is it plugged in?"

Absol stared under the table. "Oh. It isn't."

"I'll do it!" Lucario bent under the table and took the plug in his paws. He found the socket and inserted it forcefully before turning the switch on. "There."

"Right." Absol pushed the button again, and the monitor began to flicker. The Disaster Pokémon stared at it for a moment before he shoved a strange looking object towards Lucario. "This here is a mouse."

"Yeah, I know." Lucario moved the mouse around, staring amusedly at the little arrow in the monitor as it mimicked the mouse's movements. "Technology is amazing, isn't it? I could do this all day." He clicked on a random icon, and a new window popped up.

"Uh oh, you've opened the music player. Any second now, it's going to –"

Absol's words were drowned by a loud melody that seemed to be emitting from the computer. Absol quickly took control of the mouse and made some adjustments; the music grew softer and softer until it was barely audible.

"Built-in speakers," he explained to the bewildered Lucario. "My ex-roommate was a music lover."

"Do you like music too?"

"Me? Sure… I listen to a number of songs… what kind of songs do you like, Luc?"

"Hmm…" Lucario paused. He had never really thought about his music preference before, seeing as he had never listened to much music in the first place. "I guess something that would remind me of the forest."

"Gotcha." Absol twiddled with the mouse again, decreasing the volume slightly as he chose a different song. "You might like this – it's an instrumental song."

Lucario closed his eyes and listened carefully. The song started off slow, but it soon broke into a fast-paced tune, incorporating various sounds that he associated with the forest such as the rustling of trees and the rushing river. It was indeed very beautiful; even when the song ended, he could still hear it playing in his head.

"Good, eh?" Absol said, grinning.

Lucario nodded. "What's the title?"

"Um…" Absol gazed uncertainly at the screen. "I can't read, you know… but I think it's these white words over here."

Lucario looked at where Absol was pointing. "Geo Echoes… Wait, if you can't read, how were you able to navigate around these menus, let alone pick this song?"

Absol shrugged. "I recognise the shape of the letters. And I do know some of the letters as well, and all the numbers. I never really saw the need to learn them thoroughly though."

"I see. Well, thank you for introducing the song to me. I'll remember it forever."

"You like it that much, huh?" Absol closed the window with a click of the mouse. "To be honest, I have forgotten what it sounded like – I just knew it was very… well, 'foresty'. Do you still want to play with the computer, or should I turn it off?"

"Sure, turn it off. I don't think I should spend the whole night at the computer, haha…"

After shutting the computer down, Absol covered it with the cloth again. He instructed Lucario to pull the plug out as well. "Leave no trace of our coming here."

Lucario's next stop was the kitchen. The room was rather small and narrow, with a cupboard and refrigerator taking up most of the space. They did not turn on the lights, but the moon shone through the windows, providing enough illumination for Lucario. On closer inspection, there was something wrong with the windows…

"Absol…" Lucario moved closer to the windows and stared at the glass. They were broken. A few bits and pieces still stuck to the sides of the frame, but there was a large, gaping hole where the rest of the glass should have been. "What happened here?"

Absol did not answer his question. Lucario stared down at a large wooden table propped against the wall directly under the window. There were some shards of glass scattered across the table's surface.

Lucario turned to Absol, who was skulking in the doorway. The dark-type was staring straight at the window, his mouth quivering. Lucario felt a surge of foreboding. "Absol?"

"Something happened that day," Absol said in a shaky voice. He shuddered suddenly, taking his gaze away from the window and looking wildly around the kitchen. "It – it –"

Lucario rushed up to Absol and knelt down. "Absol… calm down! Come on… let's get out of here…"

He pushed the shivering Absol back into the hallway. "Can you tell me what happened, Absol?"

Absol gulped and stared straight into Lucario's eyes. "Later. Please continue exploring the house."

Try as he might, Lucario could not persuade Absol to stop this strange tour of his home. The sight of the broken window had unsettled Absol incredibly, and his waves of fear and morose were now mixed with the savage aura that seemed to engulf the house. Lucario could not deny it: he was terrified now.

His heart pounding, Lucario strode up to the end of the hall, where the master bedroom was. Fearing what he might find inside, he took a small step into the room and glanced around. Like the living room, the floor was carpeted with an exquisite-looking rug. A large cabinet stood to the left of the queen-sized bed, which in turn was next to the window. Lucario quickly turned his attention to the window, and felt relieved that it was intact.

His relief did not last long. The unknown aura he had felt earlier was now rushing towards him, as though they knew he was an intruder, and wished to chase him out. Lucario crouched down, clutching his head. A foreign, disembodied voice seemed to be shrieking in his ears…

"_No…_"The voice began slowly, echoing in Lucario's head. "_What are you doing? Stay away… how could you…_" Lucario squeezed his eyes shut, wishing for the voice to go away… "_Why? Why? After all I've done… Tell me!_"

Lucario swayed a little as the voice suddenly grew louder. "_White – help me! No… get away… get away…_" And then, after a bloodcurdling scream, it subsided. Lucario opened his eyes tentatively and looked around. Absol was standing in front of him, looking fearful.

"Lucario, what happened?"

"A question I should ask you, my friend," gasped Lucario, withdrawing to his full height. "I heard… something… bitter memories… there is a malevolent aura in this house." He cleared his throat. "I've never encountered anything like it."

Absol stared at Lucario, wide-eyed. "Bitter memories?" He then shifted his feet, and appeared to steel himself before saying, "Come with me, Lucario."

Lucario was led back to the dimly-lit hallway, standing at its end. Absol raised his paw slightly, and Lucario looked upwards. A painting hung on the wall, depicting a beautiful hourglass against an oceanic background with the sand particles floating in both the upper and lower half of the contraption. "It's beautiful."

"Huh?" Absol looked surprised. "Oh, yeah, the hourglass. There's a meaning behind the painting – frozen time, you know, with the suspended sand instead of it sliding downwards… but no, Lucario. I meant… look a little higher."

Curious, he looked up at the ceiling. A square outline was visible in the cream-coloured surface.

"It leads to the attic," Absol said. He pointed at a small panel attached on the wall. "Go ahead, push the button on the panel."

Lucario reached out and tapped the button. He gave a start when he saw that the square outline seemed to fall down towards him, but soon realised that it had expanded into a miniature staircase. It evidently led to a room upstairs.

Absol gave Lucario a slight push. "Go on up."

Feeling a little uneasy, Lucario carefully ascended the narrow stairs and poked his head into the attic. It was fairly dark and cluttered, but there were several panes of transparent glass on the slanted roof which allowed light from outside to seep into the room. Behind him, Absol clambered up the steps noisily, almost bumping into Lucario, who had yet to get off the stairway.

Lucario moved aside to make way for Absol. The white-furred Pokémon jumped the last step straight into the attic. He did a quick scan of the area, and then stared intently at Lucario. "This is where I come whenever Ellie has visitors. I never show myself to her guests – unless it's Celia and Umbreon."

Ellie… it was the first time Absol had mentioned his old roommate's name. "What about her parents then? They've met you before, right?" asked Lucario.

"Her parents?" Absol repeated, his eyes widening again. "Well, I expect they're dead, aren't they? I mean, she's not exactly young, is she?"

Lucario did a double-take – all along, he had pictured Absol's human as a young girl. Clearly, he was wrong; he had never expected her to be an adult. Recovering from the surprise quickly, he said, "So… so… she lives alone in this house?"

"With me, yes." Absol hung his head. "Her children sometimes come to visit. I suppose her husband is dead… I never actually asked." He then chuckled bitterly. "What am I talking about… I can't speak human language…"

He then beckoned Lucario to follow him as he walked towards a large cabinet at the far end of the attic. Absol pushed it aside, revealing a small cavity in the wall. He squeezed inside the hole and gripped a handle at the back of the cabinet with his teeth, pulling it back to cover the hollow space. Absol was now hidden from view.

"I usually just stay above the stairway until the visitors go home," Absol said from behind the cabinet. "In the extremely rare event that they come up here, however, I retreat to this super-secret hidey-hole."

He then pushed the cabinet away forcefully and stared at Lucario once more. "I was in the hole that night." He then took a deep breath and said quickly, almost in a panic, "That's what I need your help with, Lucario – that night, I need to know what happened that night! You can use your aura thingy, can't you?"

Lucario backed away automatically as Absol took a sudden step forward; the Disaster Pokémon looked quite deranged and desperate. "What do you mean, Absol?"

"You can read minds – you can read memories! You can find out the truth… you'll be able to help us, whereas I… I couldn't do anything… I –" he broke off, and Lucario was startled to hear a small sob.

Lucario knelt down again, mulling over what to say. This was undoubtedly what had been eating Absol lately, and he was unsure if it would be wise asking Absol to relive the memories once more. Still, it was the only way. "Absol… something terrible happened that night, didn't it?"

Absol nodded, not meeting Lucario's eyes.

"Then I want you to think about it. Think about everything you want to tell me – think about Ellie; how you met her, the things you did, and – even though it's painful – think about that night. Let out your emotions."

Absol nodded again, his gaze still on the dusty floorboards.

Lucario paused momentarily, allowing Absol to gather his thoughts. He then placed a paw on the dark-type's back. Absol raised his head hesitantly, finally staring into Lucario's crimson eyes.

"Absol," Lucario said, peering deep into his friend's eyes, "do you trust me?"

A small smile tugged at Absol's mouth. "With my life."

And Lucario was off, diving into Absol's memories. He found himself staring at two Absol running in the forest. The Absol that he knew was the smaller one, doing his best to keep up with the larger Pokémon – Absol's father. They were running freely – not from impending danger, but merely a carefree romp between father and son.

"I'm faster," said the tiny Absol. "I'm faster than yesterday, right, dad?"

The older Absol smiled as he looked around at his son, still running through the forest path. "Sure you are… but you're not as fast as me!" And he increased his speed, much to the indignation of his son.

The scene shifted quickly, the forest vanishing as it was replaced by a swampy terrain. The young Absol was now larger, crouching in a defensive stance. In front of him was a Toxicroak, leering maliciously with his arms raised, about to attack.

"Absol!"

Both of the Pokémon turned their heads to the source of the noise: Absol's father had arrived, a branch full of berries dropped at his feet. He charged at the Toxicroak, leaping into the air with claws outstretched.

Relief swept over the little Absol – he was safe now. His father took a few swipes at the Toxicroak, who retaliated with a heavy blow that struck the larger Absol's chest.

Absol watched as his father landed in the marsh, fur soaked and dirty. He closed his eyes and cowered, not daring to look anymore. He was terrified – every inch of him wanted to go and help his father, but he could not find the courage to move. So there he stood, listening to the sounds of the battle as it raged on.

There were groans and roars, yells and thuds, but Absol had no inkling of what was going on. He could only pray in the darkness that his father had the upper hand.

And finally, just after when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, he could hear Toxicroak grunting as the Pokémon ran off. Absol opened his eyes in delight, searching for his father. His father was covered in dirt and cuts, but remarkably, he seemed okay. The larger Absol flashed a comforting smile.

"Dad!" he cried, running up to him. "Thank you…"

Once again, the scene faded away, transitioning into the forest. The two Absol stood by a lake which was much smaller than the one Lucario frequented. The older one was lapping up the water while the younger Absol watched on with a look of concern.

"Dad, you've been drinking a lot lately," Absol said.

His father peered round. "Really?"

"Not only that, you often appear distracted these days. Many a times I've seen you staring at nothing…"

The large Absol laughed heartily. "I'm absolutely fine." He circled on the spot. "See? Fine. You worry too much."

Suddenly, mild static began to fill Lucario's vision, as though he had been watching a television programme affected by interference. The memory had changed, but he could no longer see the two Absol clearly – he could tell that they were at a hillside though, in the middle of the night.

Lucario heard Absol's father began to speak slowly, "There is something you should know, son."

"What is it?"

The older Absol heaved a long sigh. "I haven't been feeling too well lately."

"I knew it," Absol replied, looking up in concern. "I could tell. It's something to do with that Toxicroak, isn't it? He – he injured you, didn't he?"

"Hm. Who knows? It might not have been him at all."

"But, either way, we have to do something!"

"Ha!" Absol's father moved closer to his son and placed a paw on his back. "What can we do? We're not doctors."

Absol stared into his father's eyes, and Lucario felt a pang of melancholy that he knew belonged to the present-day Absol. It must be extremely excruciating for him to be digging up these memories… it was, after all, painful just watching them.

"The Pokémon Centre can help you."

"I don't want to be hooked up to a machine, or to be cut open, or goodness knows what other horrifying things that happen there. You know what, son… I suspect internal bleeding." He laughed lightheartedly. "But as I said, I'm no medical practitioner."

"Dad… please… go to a Pokémon Centre…" Absol pleaded, his voice full of emotion. Gone were the days when he could romp around happily… it was as though all happiness had died away, withering into nothingness. All of a sudden, the world seemed full of worries and problems. All of a sudden, Absol was no longer a child.

"What you have to understand is that I'm old now. I really don't wish to say this, but even without this illness I'm having, I am not long for this world."

Absol whimpered, and his father nuzzled him lovingly.

"It's painful for me too. There's nothing more I would like than to spend an eternity with you. But we must learn to accept…"

"I don't want to accept it!" cried Absol. "If you are to die, then I'll die with you!"

"Absol!" his father said sharply, suddenly stern. "You have no idea what you are talking about. You are brought into this world not to be my companion – to live when I live, die when I die. You are brought here to live your life fully. Promise me, Absol… if I'm gone, continue onwards. Don't dwell on old memories."

"I cannot imagine living without you."

"But you must."

"But if you're not there with me, what is there to look forward to?"

"Even if there's nothing that you deem worth living for, keep on living, for you might find it one day!" his father said exasperatedly, pacing around in an agitated manner. "Everyday has its little treasures; you just have to look for them! It won't do you good to mope about when I die!"

At the mention of his death, Absol whimpered again. He was crying now, and the emotions that the present-day Absol felt were washing over Lucario, almost moving the Aura Pokémon to tears as well.

"This is all my fault…" the small Absol said, burying his head in his paws.

"I knew you would say that. Look here, son. It has nothing – _nothing_, to do with you. I already told you, the Toxicroak might not even be the cause of this. In addition, I've lived to a ripe old age. Don't you dare blame yourself for this."

"Dad…" Absol blinked back his tears. "Please… just one trip to the Centre?"

"Absolutely not."

"But why?"

The larger Absol looked up to the sky. "I am afraid that… if they find I'm a hopeless case, which I'm sure they will… they might feel it is kinder to put me to sleep." He turned to look at Absol once more. "And I don't want to end this just yet. I still want to be with you."

Static began to surround Lucario again as the scene shifted. Unlike before, the transition was not smooth, but noisy and rough. He could no longer see anything clearly – he could only hear cries of joy and laughter as Absol created new memories with his father in the next few days… weeks, perhaps, or months…

Then there came a heartbreaking cry from Absol. The static dissipated enough for Lucario to see Absol nudging a lifeless body over and over, trying to get a response. The Aura Pokémon subconsciously tried to reach a paw out to Absol, but of course, it was only a memory… there was nothing he could do.

And Absol was running, tears streaking down his face. There was no where to go, but he continued his sprint; ignoring other wild Pokémon and startling a few trainers. His father had constantly reminded him not to feel down after his passing, but Absol could not help it. In addition, a voice kept nagging in his head, blaming him for the death of his father…

Exhaustion soon took over, and Absol slumped to the ground, still crying. He fell into a slumber, but when he awoke, it was as though he had not slept at all. He wandered aimlessly, a feeling Lucario knew only too well. He punished himself by abstaining from sufficient food and water, only eating and drinking a little to stay alive. At times, he pondered the point of his continued existence. More than once, he seriously considered starving himself to death.

As the static began to clear completely, Lucario saw that Absol had somehow found himself wandering close to the city. The Disaster Pokémon found rows of houses, and the scent of food drifting in the air. In spite of himself, the white-furred Pokémon followed the enticing smell while looking around for signs of humans. Absol knew that his species were often seen as ominous, and he was determined not to let anyone spot him.

Using his nose as a guide, he made his way towards a house at the end of a street. An old woman was busy talking to someone in the pavement, her front door wide open. The smell was coming from within… After making sure she wasn't looking, he made his way inside.

In a dreamlike trance, he walked to the kitchen and sat in front of the oven, staring at something that was spinning in circles within the contraption. Whatever it was, he knew the smell was emitting from it.

He did not notice as the old woman entered the kitchen, looking very surprised at the sight of him. His first instinct was to flee, but his legs felt numb. Instead, he turned his head back to the oven.

As though by a miracle, the lady was a kind soul. She was not appalled in the least for whom he was, or by his bedraggled appearance. She took him in, and he was living with someone once more – a human this time.

So that must be Ellie, Lucario pondered. A short woman with white, curly hair; a heavily-wrinkled face, and yet one that radiated warmth, especially when she smiled. Her eyes were small and beady, yet sharp. It reminded him of Celia.

Quick memories flashed by again, detailing several of the happier moments Absol had when he lived with Ellie. They watched a lot of television together, it seemed, for many of the memories were of them sitting in front of the machine. There was also the occasional stroll to the outside world, including his first visit to the bakery.

Ellie had ushered him in. Celia and Umbreon looked on in surprise at the Absol, who did not seem keen to be there. After a quick introduction, Ellie walked off with Celia to the back, leaving Absol with Umbreon. She was the first Pokémon he had talked to in ages, and he found himself talking quite a lot – or more than he usually would, anyway. Fortunately, neither Umbreon nor Celia believed the stigma that was frequently associated with his species.

As such, Absol had found himself some friends. Perhaps those were the little treasures his father had told him about. It certainly made each day seem brighter.

And yet, it was too good to last.

Late in the night, Absol lay on the sofa, a large blanket on the top of his body. There was a saucer of hot milk in front of him, and a bowl of snacks. He was looking forward to a long show that would air in a while, and he would be watching it alone, since Ellie never understood what the show was about.

Ellie readjusted his blanket, and with a pat on the back, stood up from the sofa. Absol gave a little cry of gratitude which Ellie appeared to understand, despite the difference in language. She nodded, and was about to walk out of the room when the doorbell rang.

They both looked at each other. Who could it be at this time?

"I'm sorry, but maybe you should go up in the attic for a while. I'll try to chase whoever it is away quickly."

Absol nodded and jumped off the sofa, the blanket sliding down to the ground. He hurried down the hallway, and Ellie pressed the button on the wall, causing the attic ladder to drop down. Absol climbed it quickly, and once he was at the top, he looked down at Ellie.

She smiled warmly at him. He nodded once more, and she pressed the button again so that the trapdoor closed itself. He was now alone in the attic. The theme song of his show could be heard playing downstairs, but it stopped soon after. Ellie probably turned the television off.

Absol sat down patiently, waiting for Ellie to tell him it was okay to come out again. He could hear her open the front door. He heard someone walking in…

"Oh, it's you!" came Ellie's voice. "What are you doing here so late?"

The visitor did not speak as loud as Ellie, however. He could not hear the reply – if there was one. Ellie picked up the conversation again, though she was speaking in a softer tone now. He heard the front door close, but the talking had not ceased; this probably meant that Ellie had invited the visitor in. He sighed – this could take a while.

Absol's attention wavered, and he began thinking about the show instead. Minutes flew by… could it have been hours? He didn't think so…

Static had started to reform in the memory, and Lucario felt a great sense of apprehension, figuring that something dreadful was about to occur. Sure enough, there came a cry from downstairs. Absol stood up, startled.

"No… what are you doing? Stay away…"

What was going on downstairs? All thoughts of the television programme evaporated as Absol's mind turned to Ellie instead. Was she in danger? He felt a stab of fear. What if… what if it turned out just like last time, with his father? No, he mustn't let that happen… he should go down, yes…

There were more screams, and Absol froze, his paw over the button that would open the trapdoor. He was paralysed with dread. Before he knew it, there came the most horrifying shriek he had heard that night. Then there was silence.

A sudden crash resounded. It was the sound of breaking glass… what exactly was happening?

Absol did not have enough time to ponder, for the attic ladder suddenly dropped downwards, which could only mean that someone had pressed the button on the other end. Whoever it was, Absol knew it could not be Ellie, telling him to go and enjoy his show. No. The person was panting heavily, climbing up the stairs in a fast pace.

Absol reacted instinctively. He dashed to the cupboard and pushed it aside so that he could squeeze into his hiding spot. The stranger was now up at the attic with him, and Absol could hear him or her closing the trapdoor.

Absol waited with bated breath. The stranger walked around the attic, but Absol could not see who it was since the cupboard was obscuring his view. And yet… this person was up to no good. If he could just catch a glimpse…

But he was not brave enough.

The stranger was fiddling with something, and all it would take for him to crack this mystery was to peek outside. So why was he not strong enough to do something as simple as that?

After a while, he heard the stranger opening the trapdoor again. It was too late – whoever it was had managed to escape, and Absol heard the sound of the stranger clambering down the ladder before the attic trapdoor closed once more. Perhaps it was safe to go out now?

Wait… Was that the sound of the front door closing? Yes, it must be. It was quite loud – the door must have been slammed. Yes, it must be safe to go out now; but… was that the sound of the ladder being lowered again? Why? Had not the stranger left? Or was this Ellie at last?

Someone ran up the stairs hurriedly, the footsteps louder this time, and jabbed repeatedly on the trapdoor button. No… certainly not Ellie. Why was the stranger back then?

Once again, the unknown person fumbled with something. Absol heard a sort of tinkling noise… his courage had failed him once more. He could not bring himself to see who the intruder was. And what had happened to Ellie? Dread began to fill him as he contemplated the possibilities of yet another loved one taken away from him…

Like before, the stranger left after a while. Absol had missed his second chance to take a look at who it was… he was a total coward… The answer was right in front of him, but he was too wimpy to grasp it.

The minutes passed again, but there weren't anymore sounds. It felt as though he was alone in the house. Anxiety was building up in him, and when he felt as though he could not take it anymore, he moved out of his hiding place.

Absol looked around the attic; there was nothing different about it. Apparently, the stranger had not taken away – or moved – anything from the place. Everything was at its usual positions. Why then did he or she come up here?

He tapped on the button and watched as the ladder dropped down. He descended warily as he looked for signs of anyone. Once he was down in the hallway, he pressed the button and waited as the ladder folded itself back into position. He then walked around, searching for Ellie. He did not have to search long.

A sudden shiver ran down his spine as he caught sight of a body on the floor inside the master bedroom. He walked nearer to it, not daring to believe his eyes. There was a slash on her neck, where blood was still dripping onto the carpet. Her eyes were focused straight ahead – at him – but he knew that she could no longer see.

Lucario felt sick; not just because of the horrible sight of the body, but because of how painful it must have been for Absol to witness something like that. Another loved one, cruelly taken away from him…

Absol's mind worked quickly, despite the sadness that filled his heart again. This was the second time someone close to him had died. And he could have prevented it! He could have dashed down from the attic when she began to scream! Why was he too cowardly to act? Yet again, it was entirely his fault…

He should not linger. As much as it pained him to leave her, there was nothing he could do now. Something sinister had occurred, and it would be unwise for him to hang about. He was an Absol. Should the police arrive and see him, no doubt they would think he was the killer, even if all the evidence pointed to a human.

He had to act quickly. He ran away from the room, tears in his eyes, and began taking a few of the items that were dear to him. He took a green kerchief and a few food items, as well as a photo of Ellie and him. He wrapped all the items in the kerchief, and carried it around in his teeth.

Absol tried to exit through the front door, but found it difficult to open. He walked away, trying to find a window he could exit from instead. He stopped in front of the kitchen, seeing another thing that made his heart skip a beat. The window was broken, though there were still glass on it. So that was how the murderer got in… but wait. Didn't the murderer enter through the front door?

He did not stop to analyse the strange situation. He ran forward and leapt through the gap in the window, causing another crash as he hit the remaining glass, with shards of it spraying everywhere. Landing on the soft grass outside, he took a last glance at the house and ran into the forest, hoping that Ellie would find it in her heart to forgive him for being such a weak companion.

Absol never wandered far. He hid all the items he brought in a safe spot, resolving to retrieve it another time. He hung around the area for the next few days, keeping an eye on the situation. The police was brought in – a bunch of fools that Absol believed quite incapable of solving the case. They did not even follow proper police procedure!

Perhaps he was too harsh in his judgement. The team was led by Ellie's son, who was working in the police force. Of course he would be upset about his mother's death. His thoughts and actions were clouded by grief. He should have just let someone else handle the case instead…

But Absol had always hoped they would crack the mystery. He lingered in the forest, occasionally coming back to the outskirts to keep an eye on the investigation. Once again, he was living by himself, trying to avoid contact with humans and Pokémon alike.

One fateful day, however, he decided to stop by the lake for a drink. The present-day Lucario watched with mild amusement as a little Riolu ran frantically by, carrying a basket full of berries. The Riolu tugged at Absol's fur, begging for the Disaster Pokémon to help him.

Absol looked up and saw that the Riolu was being pursued by three Pokémon. He stepped forward, demanding them to stop. Pokémon had always been afraid of who he was, so he hoped to use the negativity surrounding him to his advantage. It did not work.

Uncertain, he turned to Riolu. "Hey, little buddy, what do we do now?"

"We run!"

Together, they fled as fast as they could. Unfortunately, Absol was soon knocked aside by a Focus Blast. The trio had caught up with them. They had no chance to escape. Memories of the past flashed by him again as he recalled how his father stepped in just in time to save the little Absol from a Toxicroak. He had always been a coward, but no more.

He leapt forward to attack; and as he did so, he mouthed to Riolu, commanding the little Emanation Pokémon to escape. He took on the Machoke and Medicham, releasing all the frustration and anger he had accumulated throughout his whole life. To his horror, the Riolu was still there, fighting the Primeape. Absol had no chance to help him.

Moments later though, all eyes turned to the Riolu as he began to change in form, becoming larger in size. Lucario watched as his past self evolved, turning into who he was today. The newly-evolved Lucario roared, and formed the bone staff in his paws. Machoke beckoned the other two to follow him, and together, they left.

The present-day Lucario continued to observe the scene as Absol dashed forward to examine the newly-evolved Pokémon, amazement in the white-furred Pokémon's eyes. They began to chat, and once again, Absol found himself talking more than he usually would to anyone else.

He had found yet another friend, but he must be careful. All the people or Pokémon he stayed with so far had ended up dying. He could keep the Lucario as a friend, but he should distance himself a little, so as to not spread his bad luck to him. The Lucario invited him over to his home… Absol briefly wondered if he should go. Would the Lucario's father be pleased to see that his son had brought back a Pokémon often associated with disasters?

Perhaps another day. He gave the Lucario an excuse, saying that he had something to do – which was not entirely a lie, for he planned to scout the police and their investigation again.

It was only after many days did he finally travel to the top of the mountain. He was surprised to see that there was nothing there, but he was too tired to travel down again. He had been to retrieve the items he hid the other day – all the food stuff were gone now, and the only thing he had with him was the kerchief and photo.

He had brought several berries as a gift to the Lucario and his father, which he placed inside the kerchief. The photo was kept wrapped up too, with the berries. Absol walked around the summit, taking in the breathtaking view. Starting to feel sleepy, he lay down and took a nap.

And then he was woken by a loud yell that seem to come from his mind. He looked around wildly and saw Lucario, smiling at him.

Lucario led him inside the cave, which Absol thought was incredibly beautiful. They had another chat, and after some time, Lucario uttered the words that tempted Absol immensely: "You can stay here if you want."

He really wished to, but would it be all right? Would the same fate await Lucario if he decided to stay with him? All the others he had lived with were dead because of him. Absol hesitated, torn between the two decisions. In the end, he decided that he could not bear seeing another innocent soul die.

But Lucario revealed another bit of information that made Absol reconsider. The Aura Pokémon had said that a large-scale crisis would befall Ferrous City soon. Normally, Absol would not care, but in light of a citywide disaster, the investigation of Ellie's murder might be called off.

He must not allow that to happen. He took his leave after pouring the berries he brought into the basket, making sure that the photo was not accidentally thrown to the basket as well. Absol wished to ponder this matter further, and the solution soon came to him: he could stay with Lucario for a while; and when the investigation was resolved, leave the cave into the unknown depths of tomorrow. Yes. That should ensure Lucario's safety.

Was he being selfish though, putting Lucario in danger like that? At times, he wondered if Lucario would be mad at him for not disclosing how he brought bad luck to others. But the Aura Pokémon hadn't cared at all that he was the Disaster Pokémon…

But the decision was made. He would stay until the mystery was solved.

That was how Absol came to live with Lucario, following the blue-furred fighter into the city in occasional human-watching jaunts. They've been through several adventures… met a demented Eevee… a playful Infernape… and he had even visited Celia and Umbreon again. Fortunately, they did not blame him for Ellie's death.

Life went on, and sometimes, Absol quite forgot that he had a mission in mind… he quite forgot his resolve to not get so chummy with Lucario… It would only make the day he had to leave much harder…

He was happy, until one day, Lucario himself reminded Absol of the task that he had forgotten.

With a jolt, the current Lucario realised that the scene had shifted to Albert's garden shed. There was Eevee, lying near the front door. The chessboard was on the ground, and Absol was staring intently at it. The blue-furred Pokémon's past self was reading a newspaper.

"Are you really reading it or just looking at the pictures?" said Eevee, looking sceptically at the memory-Lucario.

"A little bit of both. Why?"

"I don't believe you."

The past Lucario then proceeded to prove that he was not lying by reading out several titles of articles in the newspaper. Absol ignored him, but a particular title caught his interest.

"'Investigation of Silver Lane Murder Case Hits Dead End – Wrapping Up Soon'," said the memory-Lucario.

Wrapping up soon? The fools! They were giving up? But what about Ellie? What about her murderer? Weren't they going to bring him or her to justice? He had always known they were not up to the task… How could Ellie's own son allow this to happen? Or was there something sneaky going on behind the scenes?

The mystery was all Absol could think about the next few days. He remained in the cave while Lucario disappeared to the school to keep an eye on Albert and the teacher. He replayed the scream over and over in his head, all the while wallowing in regret. If only he stuck his head out from his hiding place that night…

And then he considered something he had not bothered to think about before. The motive. Why would the murderer kill Ellie? Surely it was someone she knew, for she welcomed him or her into the house that night. And yet, the kitchen window was broken… that was a clear indication of forced entry.

Could it be that someone broke into the house with the intention of robbing it, and then, when the intruder saw Ellie and her visitor, proceeded to kill the poor old woman? What happened to the visitor then? Ran away? But… did not the crash come after Ellie was killed?

The possibilities were endless. Yet, the answer was lying somewhere, waiting to be discovered.

It was only after Lucario's trip to the prize-giving ceremony in the school did Absol finally venture into his old home again, wanting to see what was happening with the investigations himself. There was the occasional police, but they definitely showed signs of wrapping up soon…

If the humans were not up to the job, perhaps _he_, with his mind-reading abilities could help…

Absol moved towards the sleeping figure in the cave. Night was the best time to visit his old home… he hated to rely on another's help, but this was the only way. Sighing, he reached a paw out and prodded the sleeping Aura Pokémon.

With that, Lucario was flying back outside of Absol's mind; back into the darkness of the attic. It was the longest he had ever spent in someone else's mind, and it was tremendously exhausting. He sank onto the floor, panting. His legs were sore – he had been kneeling in front of Absol all this while. Rubbing it, he stared at his white-furred friend, who was determinedly looking at the wall.

"Absol… wow. That was… you've been through so much."

The Disaster Pokémon inclined his head downwards, still not making eye contact with Lucario. "I… guess so."

His mind was still buzzing over everything he had seen – everything he had felt from the memory. Lucario paused, gathering his thoughts. "There are many things I don't understand, Absol… For starters, why did you not go to Celia and Umbreon immediately after that happened?"

Absol raised his head again, finally looking at Lucario. He appeared to be surprised by this question. "Well… I – I was afraid… I… I'm ashamed to admit this, but I was afraid they would blame me for Ellie's death. And… I don't really want to go near them… or I might pass my horrible luck to –"

Absol stopped suddenly and stared right at Lucario, looking horrified.

Stunned, Lucario stopped rubbing his leg. "What? Is something wrong?"

He lowered his head submissively. "Are you angry at me for not telling you about my curse? Everyone I lived with ended up in a bad way. You could be next."

Lucario waved it off, laughing. "I already told you before. I do not believe that you are a disaster harbinger. Both events were not your fault at all."

Absol frowned, but there were ripples of relief coming from him. "How can you be so sure? Are you brave enough to test it out?"

"I am."

"You –" he began, but stopped as Lucario's words sunk in. He looked extremely touched. "Thank you, but…"

"Earlier, you said that you trust me with your life," Lucario said firmly. "I place the same trust in you."

"I'm not sure if I trust myself though," Absol mumbled.

With that, Lucario now knew why Absol was always over-protective and concerned about his well-being. The dark-type had the constant fear that his presence would be detrimental to the Aura Pokémon…

"You need more confidence. I'm not the only one who trusts you. Celia and Umbreon certainly do, don't they? They were so delighted to see you that day," he said. "Speaking of that day… you were quite eager to meet them as well, were you not?"

"Well, yes," Absol said, looking sheepish. "It was quite foolish of me, risking their safety. I dunno… we were nearby, and I kinda gave in to temptations."

"No, Absol. Not foolish. You did the right thing."

The Aura Pokémon stood up and glanced around the attic. "So, on to business. You wanted me to help you, yes?" He turned his eyes to Absol. "Uncover the identity of the murderer?"

The wooden floorboards creaked slightly as Absol jumped to his feet too, looking hopeful. "It is a lot to ask, I know, but I was hoping you could do it. I mean, you can dive into the minds of others, can't you?"

"I'm not going to lie to you, Absol. It will not be easy."

Seeing Absol's crestfallen face, Lucario hastily continued, "My abilities are not perfect. There are many limitations, and especially for someone like me, who never took the time to perfect them…"

He broke off and walked to where the panes of glass were on the roof. Staring up at the sky, he began to wish that he had practised his abilities more. "I frequently browse through a person's mind, but I only see what they are thinking at that time. This event happened quite some time ago, no?"

Lucario turned back to Absol, who was listening attentively. "Even if, by chance, we stumble upon the real murderer, there is no guarantee that he or she will be thinking of the crime at that time. You see what I mean, Absol?"

"So…" he looked down again, "there is no chance at all then?"

"There is a chance – there always is," he said, and Absol looked back up eagerly. "But it will be extremely difficult. To search for a specific memory… it is no simple task. How should I explain this?" Lucario scratched his head and thought carefully. "It is like… searching for a needle in a haystack."

Absol looked surprised.

He grinned. "I'm not completely clueless when it comes to expressions, you know. And I just bought a book too – I haven't read it yet… but I digress. Imagine for a while, a particularly large haystack…"

"Like your bed?"

"No, larger. Imagine a whole field of them. Now, if I were to hide a needle…"

"Excuse me? A needle in a whole field of hay?"

Lucario shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately, an individual's mind is even larger than just a field. But you see, if I were to hide a needle there, it would take ages to find it."

"I see…"

"It gets worse, Absol. Memories and thoughts stir around ever so frequently. Every time you think of a different thought, you scatter your memories once more. In other words, the 'needle' changes position often."

"Oh." Absol lay down dejectedly. "I guess it is impossible, then."

Lucario folded his arms, gazing at him. "Well… it will be hard, but I will do my best. It will really help if you have a suspect in mind, so as to narrow it down."

"The son."

"Excuse me?"

"Ellie's son is a policeman. I'm not too sure of his exact rank, but he's got to be someone significant if he was allowed to lead the investigation here." He shifted his paws, staring blankly at the floor. "I don't know why the investigation went so badly… maybe it was on purpose?"

"Ah…" Lucario said, pondering this statement. "I guess I see what you mean." He recalled Absol mentioning something about Ellie's children coming to visit occasionally. "How many children did Ellie have?"

"Two; a daughter and a son. I'm not too sure what the daughter is working as, however."

"And they both don't know you're staying here?"

"No one knows except Ellie, Celia and Umbreon." He then smiled sadly. "And me, of course."

If that was the case, the murderer would not have known that there was an Absol lurking in the attic that night. Lucario wondered if this was significant – Absol had not seen what the killer was doing in the attic after all; not to mention that the killer was there twice…

"Let me show you something, Luc."

Absol walked towards the other end of the attic, pushing away a few cardboard boxes so as to create a path for himself. Lucario followed behind, picking up the faint traces of nostalgia Absol was leaving in his wake.

With one paw directed towards a rectangular antique-like table, Absol turned to Lucario. "It's still here after all. The box I told you about."

Atop the table, sitting side by side, were four identical safes. They were not as large as some safes Lucario had seen in books, but together, they struck a rather impressive sight. Though they were inanimate objects, there was a certain air about them, as though they were silent observers of the room.

Absol padded over to the fourth one and leapt up, his forepaws resting on the edge of the table. "This one's mine. We all have one, see… Ellie, her two children, and me. We know only the code to our own safe, except Ellie, who knew the combination to all four of them."

Upon closer inspection, Lucario realised that there were several buttons on the safe's surface, like a telephone. He placed a paw on the top of the safe; it was surprisingly cooling. "It's beautiful. But Absol, surely the two children will have wondered to whom this fourth box belonged to?"

"Probably, but Ellie knows I don't want anyone else to be aware of my presence. I'm a hundred percent positive she did not tell them." With one paw, Absol began to jab at several of the buttons quickly. There was a click and the door of the safe jutted out. Absol swung it forward, revealing a small compartment within.

The inside of Absol's safe was quite empty, with the exception of a small stack of what appeared to be photographs. Absol stared at the bundle with a distant look in his eyes. "Luc, can you help me take those photos?"

"Sure." Lucario reached his paws inside and retrieved the stack gingerly, picking them by the sides so as to not smudge the pictures. The topmost one was of Ellie, Celia, Umbreon, and Absol. They were smiling brightly in what seemed to be the bakery, with the exception of Absol, who was merely staring at the camera with a straight face.

"I never fancied taking photos much," said Absol, staring at his own expressionless face. "Ellie loves them, though. According to her, a photo records memories."

Lucario began to sift through the photographs, walking down Absol's memory lane. Absol would occasionally make a comment or two, but he kept mostly to himself as Lucario continued browsing through the pictures. There were quite a number of photos, and in most of them, Absol was depicted as trying to escape from being shot by the camera.

After looking at the last photo – a picture of Absol besides the television set – Lucario handed the whole stack to him. "Here, Absol. Your memories. Are you going to keep them here, or do you intend to bring it back?"

"I'm bringing it back," he said. "The only reason I did not take it with me the day I left this house was because I did not want to linger around for long. I merely took one photo – our favourite one, kept downstairs – and left the rest here. Now though, I'm definitely taking them all back."

"I agree."

"Um… would it be all right if you help me bring them back? I don't have my kerchief with me, so I can't wrap it up…"

"No problem."

"And Lucario…"

Lucario peered at Absol from the top of the photographs.

"Thank you. For… for agreeing to help me." Absol sat down and gazed at his paws. "And for not believing that I bring bad luck."

With those words came waves of gratitude from the white-furred Pokémon. Lucario nodded and smiled. "It's the least I could do for a friend."

**:::::::::::::::::::**

The stack of photos was placed neatly in the crate that was filled with books. Apparently, the other photo which Absol had taken with him the day Ellie was murdered was kept down the path leading to the deeper part of the cave, carefully hidden among some rocks. Lucario, who rarely went down that path, had never spotted the photo.

"This was Ellie's favourite photo of us," said Absol, pushing the photograph towards Lucario. "I guess if I knew what would happen to us, I would have taken more photos with her…"

Lucario picked the photo and held it up so that the moonlight pouring in through the wall's openings illuminated the picture. In it were Absol and Ellie, sitting on the living room's sofa. Unlike all the other photos he had seen, Absol was actually beaming in this one. He could definitely see why it was Ellie's favourite.

"You look photogenic in this one," Lucario commented approvingly.

"You mean I'm not in the others?" Absol replied in a tone of mock indignation.

They both laughed. Lucario handed it back to Absol, who proceeded to keep it with the rest in the crate. The white Pokémon then curled up in his bed of hay, shifting around a few times to find a comfortable position.

"I'm going to sleep now, Luc."

"Good night."

"Yeah, good night. Sorry for waking you up earlier."

"No problem."

Silence fell between them, and it did not take long before Absol began to snore. He had probably lacked sleep for the past few days…

Lucario, though tired, did not try to sleep right away. The moment Absol snored, he reached out for his aura box and retrieved the journal. He sat on his bed by the moonlight, thinking about what to write. He had learned a lot that night, and he was unsure how to start the entry.

Mulling over everything that he had learnt by diving to Absol's mind, he unwrapped a small, round sweet and popped it into his mouth, rolling it about with his tongue. As it name implied, the sweet was sweet, though Lucario knew that there were other varieties as well. Sweets weren't particularly filling, but he enjoyed it all the same. The one he had in his mouth now was hard, yet smooth, and tasted like a mixture of berries from the forest.

Still sucking on the sweet, he began to write in neat footprint runes.

_Yet another entry so soon after the previous one, but this is important. Absol has finally revealed what he had kept to himself all this while. Apparently, he was afraid I would be angry at him for not telling me about how he was "cursed". Of course I wasn't angry._

_What Umbreon said was right. He really believed that he brought bad luck to others. First of all, to his father, who appeared to have been injured, dying some time later. Secondly, to Ellie, his ex-roommate. She was murdered in her own home._

_The investigation to her murder would soon be called off, but Absol intends to uncover the murderer's identity. I'll be by his side – two amateur detectives, attempting to solve a mystery. I have never done anything like this before. I will need to sort out all the details once more, but I'll leave that for tomorrow. I'm too tired now._

_Absol's photograph, a symbol of memories. Memories are extremely important, reminding us of our identities, keeping us from drifting aimlessly in the vast sea. For Ellie, the photo containing Absol's smile was the most precious of them all. For Absol, too, it was perhaps a reminder of the times they once had. He has expressed regret that he hadn't taken more photos with Ellie, but I am sure the memories will remain forever._

_As for myself, I should go out and make more memories too. There are too many things that I want to remember eternally, none of them I'm willing to forget. _

Keeping the journal back in the box, Lucario bit hard into what was left of the sweet, cracking it and swallowing the smaller bits. He walked over to the water barrel and drank a few gulps of water to wash away the taste before settling down on his hay bed once more, closing his eyes to let sleep claim him.

After all, sleep was what he greatly needed, if he was right in the assumption that tomorrow would be an incredibly long day.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

No suitable preview for the next chapter, but it'll be about the investigation.

As I said above, it's not completed yet, but I hope to submit it in two weeks. It might take longer though, I'm afraid.

On a side note, this story is now over a hundred thousand words!


	10. An Oath to Tomorrow

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon.

I'm so sorry… it's been nearly three months since the last update…

Another minor edit in Chapter Six (Magnificent Quietude 1). I've been thinking about what **Ri2 **said, and I thought I should change the part where Eevee mentioned her species were quite common. I removed that statement – however, Eevee still refuses to wear any sort of human apparel. Thanks again, Ri2!

And thanks to everyone who read and/or reviewed as well! Sorry for the late update… to make up for it, this is an extra-long chapter. It is about three times longer than the usual I Am Lucario chapter, so you might want to read it bit by bit lest it gets too boring. I must also apologise for the lack of quality in this chapter.

In response to **Anonymous1** and **(you will never know!)**

Thank you very much!

Incidentally, the reason why Eevee behaves the way she does will be revealed quite soon. She hasn't appeared for some time now, but the next few chapters will focus more on her.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"Let's go through the events one more time, Absol." Lucario took a blank piece of paper and laid it on a rock, flattening the uneven edges with his paw. "I'm going to write it down so that we don't forget."

"I'm not likely to forget it anytime soon," Absol said, staring at the sheet of paper.

"I know, but I figured it'll be more systematic to jot it down anyway." Lucario grabbed a brush and dabbed it with some ink. "That's how detectives do it, don't they?

"Now, first of all, both of you were downstairs, and you were waiting for your show to start," said Lucario, writing it down. "Then the doorbell rang, and you rushed up to the attic."

"That's right."

"Well, nothing strange about that. Though… if it was the son… does he have a spare key to the house?"

Absol thought for a moment, his eyes closed. "I would hazard a guess at no." He opened his eyes and frowned. "I think both the children had a spare key each, but Ellie had the locks changed about a month before the tragedy. I'm pretty sure she had not given the new keys to her children."

Lucario nodded, scribbling quickly. "Right. Now, we know the visitor is someone she knew…"

"Yeah, because she said something like 'it's you'."

"Yep." Lucario tapped his muzzle with the tip of the brush. "So that rules out a lot of people."

"Not necessarily," Absol reminded. "The murderer might have entered through the window – you suggested that yourself."

"I know, but if we could just identify this visitor, we'll probably make a lot of headway in our investigation."

There was a moment of silence as Absol thought about this while Lucario continued writing, his paws working fast.

"Once in the attic… you heard some screams." Lucario glanced tentatively at Absol before continuing his speech. "And then there came the sound of broken glass."

"The window."

"That's right. Now, we've established that the window in question was the kitchen's… and yet, the murder occurred in the master bedroom."

Absol sighed, turning his head downwards. "Which means there might be _two_ unwanted visitors that night."

Now that he had written most of the facts regarding the case, Lucario placed his brush down; he did not want to jot down their theories and speculations just yet, though he was eager to share his opinions. "Unless the same person killed Ellie first, then rushed to the kitchen and broke the window."

"I guess that's possible," said Absol, though he appeared doubtful. "But why?"

"I haven't though about that yet."

A sudden ray from the morning sun poured through the openings in the walls, and Absol turned to stare at it for a moment. "There's also the possibility that the first visitor attacked Ellie, and then the second intruder finished her off."

"What happened to the first intruder then? Was he or she in cahoots with the second guy?"

Absol shrugged. "That I do not know."

"Yes, guess we have a lot to find out. Now, let's continue with the order of events." He picked the brush again and twirled it around in his paws. "After you heard the window break, someone came up to the attic. The stranger then went down, and you heard the front door slam."

"It could be any other door, actually," Absol commented.

"Okay," Lucario replied, noting it down. "Anyway, after that, he or she came up to the attic once more. When this stranger left, everything was silent. You then went down, and shortly after, broke through the window in the kitchen on your way out."

"I shouldn't have done that. Because of me, there was broken glass on the inside and outside. It might have confused the police."

"I'm sure it won't change much," Lucario assured. "In any case, we're the police now." He held the paper up and glanced through his notes again, checking for errors. "Would you like to read it, Absol?"

The white-furred Pokémon shook his head. "I can't read – not even footprint runes."

"Oh, right. I forgot. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Absol walked to his bed and dragged out the green kerchief. "Shall we go then?"

"So early, Absol?" said Lucario, padding over to the food crate. "You shouldn't forgo your breakfast – you haven't had a proper meal for days, have you?"

Absol mumbled something about it not being important. Grinning, Lucario took out a small packet of marshmallows and tore it. He tossed a few pieces of the white marshmallow at his friend, who eyed them with mild curiosity as they flew towards him.

"Marshmallows?" he inquired. "I didn't know you had some."

"Yep, they're marshmallows. I have never tried them before." With the bag in his paws, he walked to his bed in order to savour his treat.

It was quite an enjoyable feeling, squishing the marshmallow with his paws. They were soft and spongy, like miniature, edible pillows. It was even nice to look at – small and round, with little pink lines swirling around its body. Perhaps this was what they call eye candy? The taste was something else; sweet and squishy, the marshmallow seemed to melt in his mouth.

"How should we start our investigation?" Absol asked.

Lucario glanced at him – there was not a single marshmallow on the floor around Absol. The Disaster Pokémon had already finished his meal, and Lucario was still chewing his first marshmallow.

He swallowed and said, "What do you suggest, Absol?"

"Straight into the mind of Ellie's son, what say you?"

"It's fine by me."

"Though it's as you said, isn't it? The chances of finding info aren't high?"

"Ah, that." Lucario took another marshmallow and popped it into his mouth. "Don't get your hopes too high, but I've been giving the matter some thought, and I think I might be able to do something… though I have never tried it before, and I'm not even sure if it'll work."

Absol looked up excitedly. "What do you have in mind?"

"Oh, you'll see," he replied casually. "If the situation calls for it."

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Ten: An Oath to Tomorrow**

"_What would the me of tomorrow say to the you of yesterday?"_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Kip Darrow strolled along the outskirts of Ferrous City, his hands in his pockets and whistling nonchalantly. He was not on duty today, which was a rare treat. He had never been more stressed in his life, what with his mother's death and the investigation… the sight of his mother's body still haunted him to this day.

With this being his day off, he found it strange that he was wandering towards his mother's house. It was as though the place contained an unseen force that attracted him to it, and though the sight of the crime scene would only depress him again, it felt as though the house was where he should be.

A few of the officers greeted him as he neared them; they seemed surprised to see him. No doubt he would look odd to them in his overly-large blue sweater and jeans that had yet to be ironed. Certainly not as impressive a sight without his uniform and sergeant's badge.

One of the police's Growlithe walked over and placed a paw on his furry forehead – an obvious attempt at a salute. Kip laughed and rubbed the canine's head before walking towards the front door, scanning the exterior of the house once more; there appeared to be plenty of things he had never known about the place.

Just the other day, one of the police came to him with a spare key that was found under a pot near the front door. It was checked for fingerprints, but the results did not reveal anything interesting. Shrugging, he ordered the officer to place it back exactly where he found it – in fact, he ordered everyone to leave everything as it was. Pretty much the only thing they moved was the body.

It was, after all, the only logical thing to do, given the circumstances… What else could he have done?

Sensing a vibration in his pocket, he reached into it and pulled out his mobile phone. It was his sister. Corrine had been rather inquisitive about the investigation lately, and it was with apprehension that he pressed the button and brought the phone up to his ear.

"Hello, Corrine," he mumbled unenthusiastically.

"Kip, the lawyer just called," came her voice, sounding oddly businesslike. "The meeting has been brought forward to one in the afternoon."

"What? Doesn't he have lunch break?" He brought his hand upwards and stared at the watch strapped on his wrist. "And you notify me only now?"

"Don't blame me – I was just informed myself. Why, are you far from the office?"

"Quite," he said nonchalantly. "I'm at mom's place."

"Why?" she demanded quickly. "Has something new been discovered?"

He sighed and shook his head, despite knowing that she couldn't see him. "No, there hasn't. You know full well that it's unlikely we find anything new now. The whole investigation is going to end in a few days."

There was a brief period of silence before Corrine spoke again, "There's no chance of catching the culprit, then?"

"No, Corrine… I doubt it's possible. Obviously, we're trying our best, but… The higher-ups have said that they might… never mind…" He stayed silent for a moment before changing the topic. "So, one in the afternoon… you'll be there, I suppose?"

"Don't be silly – of course I will."

"What about this White fellow?"

"I doubt it. We don't know who he is, do we? Mother never left any contact details – none of us could get a hold on White."

Kip placed his free hand into his pocket. "You know, this really bugs me. We investigated this matter, thinking that White might be connected to mom's murder, but all the people named White in the city had nothing to do with mom at all."

"What about the Whites outside the city?"

"That's beyond our jurisdiction, but we've sent a request to the police in other cities. Not all of them were very cooperative, but anyway, it doesn't seem like the Whites elsewhere had anything to do with mom either."

"So why did mother decide to include him in her will? What'll happen to his share of the items anyway, if we can't contact him?"

"I would suggest you ask that to the lawyer," he replied, taking his hand out of the pocket and walking away from the house. He gave a short wave to the officers as he passed them. "And I will see you there as well."

"Fine then. Bye."

"Bye." He pressed a button and slipped his phone into his pocket, quickening his pace as he cast another glance at his watch. The audacity of that lawyer to change the meeting time at the last minute! Ah well… at least the meeting would speed things up a little… With that thought in mind, a modicum of relief spread through his veins as he turned the corner out of Silver Lane.

From behind the bushes in the house next to Ellie's, Lucario stared at Absol, who had been eyeing Kip with a look of dislike.

When Kip had disappeared round the corner, Absol turned to Lucario eagerly. "So, anything noteworthy?"

"Not really," Lucario said, peering out of the bushes at the Growlithe. "Kip and his sister will be meeting the lawyer soon, where Ellie's will would be read, apparently."

"Ellie's will…" Absol mumbled softly.

"I think we should leave – the Growlithe kept looking this way. He probably knows we're here." He stood up, brushing his fur. "I believe it would be prudent to follow Kip to the lawyer's. What do you think, Absol?"

"I suppose so."

"Well then, let's go." Lucario peered through the bushes once more – the Growlithe was now sniffing the air. The fire-type's eyes fell onto the bush again, and Lucario ducked down, motioning for Absol to be silent.

They managed to exit the area undetected, with Absol following Lucario as the Aura Pokémon used his senses to detect Kip's whereabouts. For the remainder of the journey, Kip's thoughts consisted of nothing but speculations as to what the contents of the will were. He had a brief idea, of course, but his mother had never told him or Corrine the exact contents.

Lucario did not know what to think of this – perhaps it would only be natural for Kip to be curious about the will's contents, but what was with the relief that Kip had felt? The man had thought that the meeting would speed things up a little… If Kip had been eyeing his mother's fortune, it would not be such a stretch to suspect him of murder…

He did not mention this to Absol; he wished to keep his opinions to himself until he had something more concrete to go on with.

"Where is he going?" Absol asked as he walked besides Lucario, his eyes still locked onto the sergeant some distance ahead. Kip was walking rigidly with both hands in his pockets, seemingly oblivious to everyone around him. In any case, it did not take much effort for the duo to avoid catching his attention.

"To the lawyer's."

"Oh, you mean he's going there _now_? I thought the meeting was later." Absol snorted. "No wonder he's walking so quickly. He wastes no time when it comes to finding out what he inherited. A pity he wasn't this fast with the investigation."

Lucario did not reply, but instead thought about what he could do in their little investigation. Getting the answer straight from someone's mind would be hard, as he had already explained to Absol, but if he cheated a little… if he tweaked the circumstances…

"Lucario!" Absol said suddenly, staring at two figures across the street.

The blue-furred Pokémon broke out of his reverie and followed Absol's gaze. To his surprise, Celia was standing next to a streetlight, looking very different than usual without her apron and hairnet. Her short, greying hair was combed neatly; and together with the black coat she had on, she looked oddly formal. Umbreon, on the other hand, looked as she always did.

Noticing Absol and Lucario, Umbreon nudged Celia on the leg and pointed at the pair. They both then waved enthusiastically. Lucario returned their greeting with a wave of his own, but Absol stared between them and Kip – the man was walking further into the distance. Apparently, Absol was unable to decide if he should pursue Kip or join up with Celia and Umbreon.

His dilemma was answered when – after making sure that there were no vehicles on both sides – Celia and Umbreon crossed the street towards them.

Celia beamed at them both. "Good morning, Absol," she turned to Lucario, "and you, Lucario."

Though Celia was unable to understand what they were saying, she seemed to get the gesture all the same when Lucario and Absol replied to her greetings in Pokémon language. Umbreon stepped forward and gazed intently at Absol, who appeared a little uneasy.

"You haven't been to visit us for ages," she said sharply.

Absol adopted a defensive tone. "I've been… busy. What are you and Celia doing here?"

"Hmph. Changing the topic, I see." She sat down on the pavement and swung her tail around lazily. "Celia is going to meet a lawyer because apparently, she has been included in the will of –" Umbreon broke off abruptly and placed a paw over her mouth, perhaps realising that she had accidentally said something insensitive. She looked nervously at Absol, whose expression was blank, and then turned to Lucario.

Umbreon then turned her gaze skywards, where the sun was shining brightly without the obstruction of clouds. "Anyway, it's a nice day! What are you doing here?"

"We're on our way to the lawyer's," Absol said quietly, "to find out the content of Ellie's will."

She coughed and stared at Absol once more. "You too? But of course… you would be in the will too, wouldn't you?" She lowered her voice into a whisper, but Lucario heard her all the same: "Does your friend, Lucario, know about Ellie?"

Absol nodded curtly. "And for the record, I doubt I'm in the will. I just want to find out certain information, that's all…"

"Oh, Absol… I'm sure Ellie wouldn't have forgotten –"

"That's not the point!" he snapped.

Umbreon recoiled, looking slightly hurt.

Absol sighed. "I'm sorry – I just… look, why don't we go together?"

"Sure, why not?" Umbreon nudged Celia's leg again and pointed towards the distance. Celia bent down, looking politely confused. Umbreon waved a paw at the streets, and this time, she seemed to get the hint.

"Are Absol and Lucario following us to the lawyer then?" she asked, to which Umbreon nodded.

And so the four of them set off together, drawing stares from quite a number of passers-by. They had all lapsed into silence; Umbreon was giving off waves of apprehension while Absol appeared to be replaying in his mind the events of that fateful night.

As such, Lucario was thankful when some time later, Celia stopped in front of a tall building with a fresh coat of silver paint, bringing the uncomfortable journey to an end. The building was located in the downtown area of Ferrous City, around which he first met Julie Hawthorne.

Celia led the group through the automatic sliding doors into the large lobby, where a rush of chilly air greeted Lucario. Several people were scurrying about, and a few of them glanced at the entourage of Pokémon that Celia had brought with her.

She took out a card from her pocket and read the words printed on it before heading towards an elevator located at the end of the hall. Umbreon followed closely behind her, but Absol had stopped in his tracks.

Lucario turned to him. "What's wrong, Absol?"

"I don't think I should appear in front of Ellie's son and daughter."

"Why?"

"I just… don't want to. I'm supposed to be a secret, after all."

Umbreon came scuttling over. "What's the matter?"

"I don't wish to go up," Absol said. "I'll stay here at the lobby instead. You go on ahead."

She stared at him in surprise. "But I thought you said you wanted to find out certain information?"

"I'm sure I'll be able to get all the information I need from here, in the lobby." Absol looked expectantly at Lucario, who understood what Absol meant.

"Don't worry, Umbreon," Lucario said reassuringly. "I'll be here with him."

"If you say so then." Though seemingly uncertain, she ran back to rejoin Celia. The two of them entered the elevator as it opened, and were soon obscured from view as more people filled the tiny space. The doors closed, and Lucario turned to face Absol.

"You want me to broadcast what's going on upstairs to you?"

"Can you?"

"I can try, sure." He glanced around at the people bustling about. Though the crowd was not making much noise per se, Lucario felt that the tension in the air would make it harder to concentrate. "Let's find somewhere not so crowded though."

Absol gave a quick nod and practically ran out of the building with Lucario trailing behind. Once outside, Lucario took the lead, trying to detect an area with the least disturbance in the atmosphere. Of course, he could not venture too far from the building, so choices were pretty much limited.

In the end, he settled for the back of the building, which was not as impressive as the building's front. Here, the paint was old and fading; and rubbish was strewn all about the floor. Lucario sniffed the air cautiously: the stench was unpleasant, but hopefully bearable until the end of the lawyer's meeting.

"Um…" Absol began, looking wide-eyed at a large, dirty dumpster in the corner.

Lucario grinned apologetically, scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, Absol, but I think this is where we would get the best reception. If only I'd trained more, maybe –"

"No," Absol said hastily, taking a step forward while avoiding a puddle of greyish water. "Seriously, this is fine. The meeting is more important."

The white-furred Pokémon took a seat besides the dumpster and stared expectantly at Lucario. Still feeling sheepish, Lucario stepped over the puddle while holding up the ends of his scarf to ensure that it did not come into contact with the murky water. After brushing the floor next to Absol with his paw, he sat down and stared seriously at his friend.

"Are you sure you want to see this? Do you want me to view the scene by myself and fill you in later?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Absol answered, "No. I want to see this."

"Okay then. Tell me if there's a problem."

With his eyes closed, Lucario swept through the aura patterns located in the building, slowly directing his senses higher and higher as he searched for Celia and Umbreon – they should be at the office by now…

A young man sporting a blue suit with white vertical stripes took Celia's hand and shook it firmly. "A pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," she replied, smiling. At her feet, Umbreon said a soft 'hello' to the man's Raichu, who was occupying a small corner at the office, studying the newcomers with sharp eyes. The Raichu returned the greeting and strode to the blinds, adjusting them so that sunlight poured into the room.

Kip was already in the office, sitting on a black sofa with a book he had presumably taken from the shelf next to him. When Celia arrived, he had placed the book closed on his lap, staring at Celia with what Lucario thought to be a cold expression.

He was not the only one though – in front of the lawyer's desk sat a thin, middle-aged lady in a white coat, her shoulder-length black hair flying behind her as she turned her head to look at Celia with more or less the same expression as Kip.

Celia stared uncertainly at them both, muttering greetings which went unanswered. The man in the suit – the lawyer – ushered Celia to a seat by his desk, next to the woman. Umbreon stuck close to Celia as she took her seat, eyeing the other two with dislike.

"Well, everyone's here," the man announced, walking behind the desk and sitting on a huge swivel chair. He scratched his neatly-combed hair as he took a file from a drawer.

"Not everyone," said the woman as she fiddled with a button on her coat absentmindedly.

The lawyer glanced up at her, looking puzzled.

"White isn't here," she said pointedly.

"That is true. I was unable to contact White. But no matter. We will proceed as normal." He reached out and accepted a pair of reading glasses from the Raichu, who then proceeded to the corner again. Putting the glasses on, he continued, "Obviously, all of you know the purpose of our meeting today: that is, to reveal the exact contents of your late mother's will. Er…" he turned to Celia, "your late friend; their late mother.

"Before that, a formal introduction. My name, as you already know, is David Schneider, the attorney appointed by Madam Ellie herself. This, I believe, is the first time we are all meeting together as a group, though I've met you before, of course," he said, looking at Kip. "First and foremost, I –"

"I hope you don't mind me interrupting," said Kip, who was still sitting on the sofa, his legs crossed, "but can we skip all the preamble and cut to the point?"

Unfazed, David broke into a grin. "Gladly. No need for formalities, hm?" He opened the file and retrieved a stack of documents. "To the point, then. First of all, the house."

Here, David glanced up at the three humans, as though surveying their reaction. Corrine was still fiddling with the button, her eyes gazing blankly downwards. Kip was leaning forward on the sofa, both his hands brought together; he, too, was not looking at the lawyer. Celia was absentmindedly stroking the top of Umbreon's head.

"The house is to be sold, and its proceeds will be split between the children, Kip Darrow and Corrine Darrow. They will both get a fifty percent share each." He glanced around the room again – his statement had received no reaction. "The furniture, on the other hand, is where things get more complicated. Now, most of it is to be sold as well, but Madam Ellie had specific instructions for certain items."

David proceeded to talk about several select items from Ellie's house, and who inherited them. Like before, he went uninterrupted, his steady voice the only sound that could be heard in the room.

After a few minutes, he placed the document down. "And here, we run into a few problems. Number one, her jewellery. I understand that Madam Ellie has quite the collection, but, as I am sure you all are aware, it was stolen the night she was murdered."

At this, Lucario felt a wave of horror wash over him. To his surprise, it was coming from Absol. This could only have meant that the piece of news was previously unknown to his friend. Though he would like to discuss this bit of information with Absol, he continued viewing the scene through the eyes of David.

"She wanted it sold too, but obviously, we cannot do anything about it unless the jewellery is recovered. You both understand this, of course," he said to Corrine and Kip. Celia remained politely quiet – she had yet to be mentioned in the will.

"Problem number two: the safes in the attic." David glanced down at the documents again; the combination to Ellie's safe was written neatly at the corner, so that its contents could be retrieved and distributed to their respective persons. The combinations to the other safes, however, had never been revealed to him.

"You are probably aware that there are four safes in the attic. One for Mr. Kip, and one for Ms. Corrine. The third one is for Madam Ellie herself, and the last one is for White. Now, both of you," he nodded at Kip and Corrine, "are to keep the contents of your safes. But the problem lies with White. He is to keep the –"

"Hang on," Kip interjected, getting up from the sofa and striding over to occupy the empty chair next to his sister. "The fourth safe was White's? But… mom has always said that it was a spare!"

"That's right," Corrine said, displaying the same surprised expression as Kip. "She never told us it belonged to someone else!"

"Ah, I did not know that you were unaware of this fact," David said, looking up at the siblings. "But it is stated here plainly. The fourth safe, and all its contents, belongs to White."

"But… what could be inside the safe?" Kip said quickly.

"I do not know," David said plainly. "It is not stated here, as are the contents of your – and Ms. Corrine's – safe."

"But White is not here," said Corrine. "Which means that he isn't entitled to inherit his safe!"

"Correction. Just because he isn't here, it does not mean that he has to forfeit his inheritance. The problem lies in the fact that he cannot be identified _or_ located. Madam Ellie did not specify his full name or any contact details at all."

Kip stroked his chin, his eyes narrowed. "Is that even allowed? Am I not right to assume that if someone was to be included in a will, then all details regarding that person must be disclosed?"

"That… is true, but…" David said hesitantly. For the first time in the meeting, he was losing his composure. He removed his glasses and leaned backwards on his chair, recalling back to a previous meeting with Ellie.

"_His name is White."_

_He paused, his pen suspended above the scrap of paper. "I'll need the full name, his address, and the likes."_

"_Well… can't you just write 'White' and leave it at that? As a __favour__? I'm sure you'll find out who he is when the time comes…"_

Normally, he would not give in to his clients, but Ellie was special. He had known her for quite some time, back when he was still struggling through the hurdles of life without a steady job. Ellie had been a great source of moral support, always ready to share her wisdom, always willing to lend an ear to his troubles. He considered himself extremely lucky to have met her – and to think that it all started because he helped to pick up her scattered groceries when she had dropped her bag in front of the store. He was greatly saddened when he heard of her passing.

"_Are you sure you don't want to be included in my will, David?" she had said teasingly. "There's room for you and Pikachu, you know…"_

"_Definitely not, Ellie. Not meaning any disrespect, of course, but you have helped me more than enough. Really, I should be repaying you instead…"_

"_If you say so…"_

Breaking out of his thoughts, he turned back to Kip. "Madam Ellie was insistent that the name 'White' was sufficient, and I do not see any reason to oppose. But herein lies our problem. I do not have the combination to the safe. You're aware, I'm sure, that the combination consists of ten digits. It would not be impossible to crack the code by brute force; or we could even literally attempt to force the safe open, but I do not have the authority to call for such actions."

"No problem!" Kip declared. "We have no objections to having the safe opened." He turned to his sister enquiringly. "Right, Corrine?"

"I am afraid," David said loudly, "that the authority does not lie in either of you as well. The safe shall remain as it is for a time period of two months. Should White turn up, it would be given to him, no questions asked. If he fails to do so, however, then we shall explore our remaining options."

Neither Kip nor Corrine seemed too pleased about this, but they remained silent.

David ploughed on. "I have the combination to Madam Ellie's safe right here," he said, glancing down at the sequence of numbers again. "In it, there are four boxes. The red box shall be given to Mr. Kip, and the blue box to Ms. Corrine. The green one goes to Madam Celia, and finally, the white one goes to White.

"Like before, White's box shall be left untouched for two months or until he shows up, whichever comes first. Now, are there any questions?"

"About our safes, can it be delivered to our homes immediately?" Kip said. Behind him, Corrine looked up eagerly.

David raised his eyebrows. "Sure, it can be delivered to you, along with any furniture you have inherited. But not immediately, no. It might take up to a week or two. Any further questions?"

Celia shook her head, while Kip appeared to be deep in thought.

"Very well. The final thing to note would be the money left in her bank account. It will be shared evenly between the two children. With that, our meeting ends."

Silence befell the room once more. It seemed that no one wanted to be the first to move; Kip and Corrine were both looking downwards while Celia kept stealing nervous glances at them. In the end, it was David who broke the quietude.

"About the investigation…" he began, staring intently at Kip. "I read that it's going to end soon?"

The sergeant folded his arms and gave a non-committal grunt, not bothering to return David's gaze. Perhaps the lawyer sensed that Kip was reluctant to enter this conversation, for he said no more. Instead, he stood up and offered his right hand to Celia, who shook it as she got up from her seat too.

"It's been nice meeting all of you," he said, now turning to shake Corrine's hand. "I may have to call you up again in the near future; there'll be some documents to sign…" He extended his hand to Kip, who eyed it for a moment before shaking it briefly. "However, you can be sure that I'll do my best to speed things up."

He walked around his desk and opened the door; Kip was the first to leave, looking as surly as ever with his hands in his pocket. Corrine rushed after him, while Celia bade the lawyer goodbye as she walked slowly out with Umbreon besides her.

With all of them gone, David closed the door and wheeled around to Raichu. "So, which of them is the murderer?"

The question caught Lucario by surprise – he was just about to perform a quick mind-scan on Kip. Instead, he continued to hang about the room, taking in the emotions of the lawyer.

Raichu walked closer to David and leapt to his shoulders. "Rai…"

"Yeah… I guess it's hard to tell… but my gut tells me it has something to do with Ellie's will…"

More for the sake of doing something, he picked up the documents on the table and ran his eyes through them, not really taking in what he was reading. Instead, he was replaying a memory in his head – a memory of his final conversation with Ellie.

It was three days before Ellie was murdered. He was at home having a nice supper with Raichu when his mobile phone rang to the tune of a classical melody. The electric-type Pokémon picked the vibrating phone and handed it to David, who took it with a word of thanks. Pressing a button to receive the call, he brought the device up to his ear.

"Good evening, David speaking."

"David!" came a cheery voice. "How are you?"

"Ah, Ellie! I'm fine, thanks. Is anything the matter?"

"As a matter of fact, there is… I'm thinking of updating my will…"

"I see," he said, slightly surprised. "Major changes?"

"Hmm… I would say no, but others might not share my opinion." She let out a loud chuckle. "But I'm not cutting anyone off my will, if that's what you're thinking! Unless you want me to add you in?"

He stood up and began to walk around – a habit he often had whenever he was on the phone. "Really, Ellie, you'd think I was only eyeing your fortune all this while. The answer is still no."

She let out another laugh, and David could not help but grin. "David, I was only joking! You need to get out more; I've always said –"

"Yes, yes, I know," he quickly cut in, fearing that she would launch into one of her usual lectures. "I've heard it all before. But surely you did not call me to discuss my personality… So, about your will…"

There was a short pause before Ellie spoke again – David noted the slight change in her tone. "Hmm… always business before pleasure, as usual. Very well, about the will, then… I shall meet you Thursday morning to discuss about it, is that fine with you?"

"Thursday morning…" he repeated to himself. He quickly dipped into his pocket and retrieved a long, rectangular book, placing it on the nearby table and flipping through the pages with one hand. "Let's see… sure, I'm free then."

"That's that then. I'll see you come Thursday, yes? At my house?"

"A–at your house? Not at my office?"

"You don't want to make an old lady walk all the way there, do you? Besides, you can bring Raichu along too; I'll cook something up for the both of you. It's been a while since we had a chat."

"Yeah… all right then. Hey, Ellie… is everything all right?"

"Of course!" she said, seemingly amused. "Everything's perfectly fine!"

"Hm. Okay then. See you on Thursday."

"That's right; see you."

"Bye." With a soft click, he placed the phone on the table, quickly taking out a pen and jotting down in his notebook about the meeting he would have on Thursday. If his past self had known that Ellie would be murdered the night before their scheduled appointment, he would have prolonged their conversation… thank her for all that she had done…

When Thursday came around, he went to her house with Raichu only to find the front door unlocked. He figured it would be impolite to just walk in, so he stood outside, knocking on the door. No one answered. Just then, Kip came along, and they both went inside… That was when he discovered that he would not get to have breakfast with Ellie after all.

Placing the papers down, the present-day David looked sadly at Raichu. "It might have just been a coincidence, of course… but what are the odds? Someone might have been unhappy about Ellie's decision to change her will…"

"Rai…"

He walked over to the window and peered through the blinds at the glorious afternoon vista – from his office, there was a perfect view of the city outskirts and the forest beyond. Perhaps Ellie was right. He should get out more.

Lucario backed away from David's mind, his consciousness rushing down many floors back to him so quickly that it left him dizzy for a few seconds afterwards. Slowly, he regained his vision – and sense of smell too; the stench emitting from the dumpster was quite unbearable.

What concerned him most, however, was everything that had been revealed to him in the last few minutes. There were so many important points that he was not quite sure where to start.

"Absol…" he whispered.

The white-furred Pokémon slowly opened his eyes.

"You're… White… aren't you?"

Absol surveyed Lucario for a moment before nodding slowly. "A nickname that she gave to me. No one else knew. Not even Celia or Umbreon – Ellie calls me 'Absol' when they're around."

"But… that explains a whole lot… you're included in her will… they were all wondering who you were…"

"Ellie's will is of no importance to me." He stood up; there was anger in his eyes as he paced around, seemingly frustrated. "But if what the lawyer says is true, this meant that she wanted to change her will. Could she really have been murdered because of that?"

"That's not the only important thing we learned today," Lucario reminded. "Apparently, Ellie's jewellery was stolen the night she got murdered."

"Oh, that's right! I forgot!" He sat down and shook his head. "But if the criminal's motive was to prevent Ellie from changing her will… then why bother to steal from her… unless…" His eyes lit up excitedly. "It was just a disguise… the criminal wanted to make it look like a burglary…"

"I suppose that is one possibility…" pondered Lucario. "But everything is still so strange…"

"I agree; it's like a giant jigsaw puzzle, and we have many pieces missing."

"A jigsaw puzzle!" Lucario exclaimed animatedly. "I've never seen one before, though I've read about them – I think it's really cool how –"

"Um… Lucario…"

Lucario managed to stop himself in time. Grinning shamefacedly, he muttered, "Right. Sorry. So… er… where were we again?"

"Well… we did dig up quite a few details about the case." Absol sat down besides Lucario and stared earnestly at the Aura Pokémon. "Thank you, Luc. I should have asked for your help earlier."

"No, Absol; I didn't do much," he said, a little embarrassed by the sudden display of gratitude. "It's David you should thank. Seems like he was the first to discover the body in the morning, along with Kip… I suppose you don't intend on letting him find out that you are White?"

"That…" He looked away, staring blankly at the wall as he thought deeply. "It seems like Ellie wanted me to show myself sooner or later, but…" He trailed off and remained silent for a few seconds, eyes following the movement of the water droplets dripping from a pipe attached on the wall. "No. I'm not ready to reveal myself."

Lucario nodded. "That's perfectly understandable, Absol. So… what do we do now? David seems to suspect Kip and Corrine… and… well," he hesitated, "Celia, but we all know she didn't do it."

"No, she didn't. But Corrine… I guess I never thought about her as a suspect…"

"She was quite quiet earlier," Lucario added. "But further investigation is necessary, I suppose. The question now is: what should we do? It's your call, Absol."

"… I think I would like to hang around Kip a little more."

"Understood." Picking up a familiar presence, he turned his head to the streets. "But what about Celia and Umbreon? Don't you want to say goodbye or something to them?"

Absol gazed out of the alley, where several cars were lined up in front of a red light. The sun was glaring brightly, which might be the reason why there were fewer passers-by than usual. Far in the distance, Umbreon was walking alongside Celia, trying to stay in the shadows of the surrounding buildings.

"It's fine," Absol said softly. "There may come a day when I can finally relax and socialise with them, but now, I've got a job to do."

**:::::::::::::::::::**

The police headquarters in Ferrous City was located within walking distance from the downtown area; a small, little building of a few floors built many years ago. It badly needed a new coat of paint, Kip thought, but he never really cared for its outside appearance anyway. As long as he gets his paycheck, he was not one to complain.

Being a sergeant had its perks; all the unknown faces at work seemed to recognise him. He revered in the awed expressions he received whenever he walked by others. No matter what people say, it was important to have a respectable image.

Needless to say, the Pokémon respected him as well, like the little Growlithe he met earlier in the morning. He always had a soft spot for Pokémon, which was odd that he did not have one of his own. Sure, he had worked with many of the force's Pokémon team, but he yearned for a special friend of his own.

Still, the thought of getting a Pokémon was at the back of his head lately. What with the investigation of his own mother's murder, as well as pressure pouring in from all directions, he had very little time to think about anything else. Hopefully, it would all come to an end soon.

"Good afternoon, sir," said a weedy-looking officer at the front desk whom Kip did not recognise. "I thought it was your off-day today?"

Surprised as he was that someone he did not know would be aware about his schedule, he nodded and gave a small smile. "It is. I've decided to drop by my office though."

"Oh, of course! Uh… yeah, go ahead!"

"Thanks."

Without another glance at the officer, Kip strode to the elevator on the left side of the building. By the time the elevator doors had closed, he had already forgotten what the officer looked like.

Upon reaching his floor, he made his way to his office, which was inconveniently located at the very end of the hall, past the superintendent's room. As he passed, he thought he saw the superintendent look up at him from the top of a book, but Kip pretended not to notice. He had much respect for the man, but the superintendent was not someone he would normally like to carry a conversation with.

After closing the door of his office behind him, he sank onto his chair and pulled a file from the top of a stack. To his dismay, he could hear heavy footsteps echoing throughout the hall outside; a distinctive sign that warned of the superintendent's approaching. Placing the file back to its original position, he hastily began to think of an excuse as to why he was there on his day off.

Sure enough, the man's large silhouette was soon visible through the translucent glass on the door. He knocked once, and with a loud creak, the door swung open and the man strode in, looking weary. Kip stood straight up.

"Sir," he mumbled, perhaps a little too unenthusiastically.

The man gave a curt nod and took a seat by the desk, indicating for Kip to do the same. The superintendent, John Fedrow, was the head of Ferrous City Police Department. A large and intimidating figure, he was actually older than he looked; he had been in the force for many years, and his appearance remained pretty much unchanged, as though he was impervious to the effects of aging.

"Darrow… I come with bad news."

Kip looked up in surprise, suddenly filled with a sense of foreboding. "Bad news?"

The superintendent studied Kip intently with piercing eyes. "I have received word from the higher-ups that there will be an inquiry on you."

"Oh. That." Relief swept over him; he had seen that coming, what with the investigation that turned out to be a total fiasco.

Perhaps the relief showed in his face, for John raised his eyebrows, looking suspicious. "You don't seem too upset about this."

Kip shrugged. "Well… I expected it."

"Look, Darrow…" The superintendent leaned forward on the chair and lowered his voice, as though fearing there would be someone eavesdropping outside. "By rights, you shouldn't have been involved in the investigation regarding your mother's death… I only allowed it because you seemed so determined…"

"Sir, I –"

"No, hold on. There's something else you should know. Earlier today, someone slipped an anonymous note in the mailbox." John reached into his pocket and retrieved a scrunched up piece of paper. "Perhaps you would like to shed some light on this?"

Uncertain, Kip took the paper and stared down at the red words written untidily across it.

_kip. payment __**D**__u__**E**__. h__**A**__ven'__**T**__ received anyt__**H**__ing for three months._

He took his eyes off it and turned to the superintendent, who was waiting expectantly for an answer. "This…" he began, looking down again at the paper, "I have no idea what it's about."

"Hmm." John rubbed his chin; he did not appear to be convinced. "Maybe not, but I hope this does not continue. In light of the current situation… you wouldn't want the higher-ups to find out about… ah… any problems you might be having."

With a pat on the shoulder, John got up and left the room. When the door clicked shut, Kip began to tear the paper furiously before dumping it all into the dustbin at the corner. He paced around the room, his mind still on the sinister message left for him.

_I told them not to look me up here! I told them to just wait a little longer!_

He slammed a fist onto the desk, filled with rage. A memory of his mother's lifeless body flickered in his mind, but he pushed it away. He turned to stare at the dustbin, where the scattered remains of the memo now lay. It was a painful reminder of what his addiction had cost him…

Addiction. That was a very strong word which he never thought would have been associated to him. It was just a small trip to Veilstone City, but it had ruined his life. Just a seemingly harmless vacation that had brought him around the place, exploring the sights… and there it was, the renowned game centre. Ask anyone, and they would say that no trip to Veilstone City is complete without a visit to the centre.

So in he went, peering around at the bright, flashing lights while trying to block out the loud noises emitting from the many rows of machines.

"Would you like to purchase some coins, sir?" asked a woman in blue uniform, gesturing towards the front counter. "You'll need to if you intend to play."

"Oh, no, I'm just stopping by to –"

"Ah, just a visit? But sir, it wouldn't do to leave here without even playing once!" The woman was clearly well-versed in getting reluctant patrons to depart with their money. "Come, come, at least have a go; you won't regret it!"

And he had allowed himself to be led to the counter, where he purchased five measly coins. Sitting in front of a pachinko-like machine, he slipped a coin into the slot and pulled the handle. It was a weird game, but he did quite well, especially for his first time.

Pleasantly surprised, he continued the game, finding that he quite enjoyed it after all. In no time, he had tripled the amount of coins he had, which wasn't too much anyway, seeing as he started with five.

He pressed on, forgetting that his original intention was to just take a look around the place. At the end of the day, he had won quite a decent amount of coins. It had been an evening of fun, but how was he to know that it would be the start of his nightmares?

Fast forward a few years, he found himself wasting his life away, spending most of his free time at Ferrous City's game centre. The local centre was neither as large nor as impressive compared to Veilstone City's, but he was not fussy. There was a wide variety of games available, and he never grew tired of them.

What did he find so appealing about the games anyway? Could it be the thrill and excitement they provided, that rush of adrenalin as he teetered between victory and defeat; or was it the prospect of earning more money? Or perhaps it was a combination of the two?

Unlike many of the 'tamer' patrons who merely played to win items and TMs for their Pokémon, he was a high roller, willing to risk big for higher returns in the form of cash. Victories spurred him on, while defeat only increased his determination to win. It was a never-ending, vicious cycle.

His thirst for wealth intensified as time passed by, and soon he was feeding his addiction in larger doses. Biting off more than he could chew, he began to experience the early signs of financial difficulties, but it did not deter him. After all, there would be ways around it… he could just cut down costs on other aspects of his life…

And of course, things did not go according to plan. The situation spiraled out of control, and he was largely in the red. Things looked extremely bleak, but he was not the only who noticed the trouble he was in…

It happened during a particularly long losing streak. Just as he was wondering if the machine was rigged, a smartly-dressed man took the seat next to him. The stranger removed his bowler hat and adjusted the collars of his tweed suit, eyes fixed on the machine before him.

Kip made to get up – he preferred playing alone without the presence of strangers around him. Before he could leave, the man spoke up, though his eyes were still staring straight ahead. "Bad luck lately, hm?"

Kip eyed him warily; the stranger's lips were curled into a small smile, though it did not make his appearance any friendlier. Suspicious, he ignored the man as he placed his hands in his pockets and began to walk.

Abandoning all pretence, the stranger abandoned his machine to pursue Kip. Stopping in front of the sergeant, the man offered a hand. "Greetings. I am actually one of the workers here; I've seen you around often… quite the patron, aren't you?"

Despite his claims, Kip had never seen the man before. Hesitating slightly, he shook the man's hand briefly before placing his hand back once more into his pocket.

"But you're a high-profile customer… we really appreciate you coming here. It really is an honour to have a sergeant as a regular customer of our humble game centre."

It might have been a genuine compliment, he did not know, but the comment worried him. He scratched his head, surveying the man standing before him intently. "You know who I am?"

"Of course! Come on, let's have a seat," the man said, gesturing at a stool next to the pachinko machine.

Still uncomfortable, Kip sat on the stool and folded his arms as the man sat besides him. The stranger placed the bowler hat back onto his head, where it hung lopsided.

"As a regular, you are entitled to certain privileges. Did you know that there is an express counter that VIPs can use to buy coins faster at the –"

"Yes, I am aware of it," Kip replied, having been using the express counter all the time.

"Good, good. In addition, the table limits of VIPs are more flexible compared to casual customers. And," he added, smiling wider, "in the most unfortunate event when a VIP is in need of some cash, we offer loans."

And the reason for their conversation suddenly became clear. Kip got up and said firmly, "No. I do not need a loan." Other than the fact that he hated owing people favours or money, there would be no end to it if it ever leaked out to his colleagues that he had taken up a loan from the game centre. "Absolutely not."

"Relax, relax," he assured, getting up to his feet too. "The terms are incredibly generous, I assure you. I have noticed your luck hasn't been too great lately, and thought I should just bring this to your attention. If you should ever desire a loan…" He whipped out a document and handed it over to Kip. "Take your time and read it."

Once the document passed hands, the stranger turned and walked away, humming a little tune. Still unnerved by the conversation, Kip headed home. It was only when he sat down for a cup of coffee did he notice that the document was still with him, albeit crumpled around the edges where he gripped it.

Sometimes, the present-day Kip wondered how different his life would be if he had tossed the document to where it belonged: the trash can. Instead, he had taken the time to read it, giving each of the terms careful consideration. Taking a loan would perhaps be the biggest gamble he ever made, but it would surely open up a whole realm of possibilities… plenty of new chances to earn back what he lost… to regain his footing in the gambling arena…

In his idle daydreams, he saw himself raking in winnings effortlessly. Not only had he repaid his loan, but he had earned plenty more for himself as well. He always believed he was capable of winning big; he just did not have the means to do so… but that could all be remedied with a loan… just a small loan…

"Just sign here and we're done," said the man, pushing a silver pen to Kip. With a broad grin, he walked back behind the desk and stroked the back of his lazing Persian. "You've already read the contract, haven't you?"

"Of course," Kip grunted. In his line of work, he was quite familiar with tricks swindlers frequently try to use when it came to contracts. Prior to coming to the man's office, he had scrutinised every little detail of the document, ensuring that there were no loopholes that may be exploited, or any terms that might one day come back to haunt him.

"Very good. Just your signature then…"

The pen felt tremendously cold as Kip picked it up and twirled it idly between his fingers. Small doubts were resurfacing in his mind as he stared at the document, which seemed to be nothing more than a blur. As he looked up, he could have sworn that the Persian's eyes were gleaming malevolently at him. Perhaps these were indications he should back away immediately, but he ignored them.

He signed the forbidden contract.

Looking back, the whole situation was suspicious. He was stupid not to see it… greed had blinded him… A long losing streak? A mysterious man suddenly appearing with a tempting offer? It had all been a trap… they knew who he was: a big shot in the police force.

The bright, colourful lights of Ferrous City game centre were but an illusion to disguise all the illegal activities going on behind the curtains… And despite that, they had never been in major trouble with the law. Perhaps they had a police officer or two in their pockets, slipping them warnings of when there would be raids and checks on the centre. But Kip? He was a sergeant; a real catch for the crooks.

Kip could just imagine their delight when they realise that he was a regular at the centre. They must have hatched a plan, getting him to lose most of his money before coming up with what seemed like a reasonable offer. Once he signed the contract, all they had to do was make Kip lose some more while letting the interest rate of the loan bury the sergeant deeper into the grave he had dug for himself.

With that, Kip was the latest addition to their dastardly collection. As a sergeant, he was able to aid them in ways no lower-ranked officers could have done. Many of their men who were unlucky enough to be caught were let go, no questions asked. The frequency of raids had decreased significantly, which enabled them to get about with their operations uninterrupted. In addition, they could always blackmail Kip whenever they wanted a favour done. To top it off, Kip still had to make monthly payments to clear his debt.

The crooks were in a favourable position indeed. Kip was completely powerless, with little hope of ever getting out of this dilemma. But there was a way… it was worth a try…

"Kip!" Ellie exclaimed, opening the door wider. "What a surprise! Are you not working today?"

He managed to conjure up a small smile. "Hi, mom. I'm free at the moment, so I've decided to stop by…"

"How wonderful!" She looked extremely pleased, and her pleasure at seeing him only made Kip guilty about his true intentions for visiting her. "Come on in!"

It had been quite some time since he last paid his mother a visit, and he was beginning to wish he had spent more time with her. Ever since he joined the force, he frequently used work as an excuse for not stopping by.

"Tea or coffee?" she asked after Kip sat down on the living room's sofa.

"Some coffee would be nice," he said. She nodded and smiled, hustling off to the kitchen. Left alone, he glanced around the room. Things looked as it always did, even after all these years… he could still remember being a child, running around the room, almost knocking a vase off the shelf. The same vase was still there, now placed inside a cabinet.

He rubbed his hands against the sofa and brushed against a white patch of fur. Grasping it, he brought it closer to his face and stared. His mother never had a Pokémon… perhaps it belonged to a visitor. Dismissing it, he began to replay in his mind the speech he had spent ages preparing.

A few minutes passed before Ellie returned with a cup of steaming coffee. Kip accepted it with a word of thanks and took a sip – the beverage, though as good as ever, did nothing to calm his nerves.

At last, when he could no longer bear the mounting tension within him, he placed the cup down and glanced at his mother. "How's everything?"

"Oh, everything's more or less the same…" She laughed, sitting down next to him. "You know me. I'm never up to much. How about you? Being a sergeant and all, I bet you've got loads more interesting tales to talk about than _this_ old lady…"

"Hmm… well… nothing much is going on." He paused in the middle of a sip, the warm liquid touching his lips. He really should hurry and get it out of his system… For some reason, he was reminded of all the times he spent in the questioning room interrogating suspects. No matter how intimidating they were, he never backed down.

And yet, Kip could not bring himself to ask his own mother for a favour.

"Is something wrong?"

Jolted out of his reverie, he lowered his cup to find his mother shooting him a quizzical look. Apparently, his discomfort had not gone unnoticed. With another feeble attempt at a smile, he shook his head. "No. Everything is fine."

She still looked sceptical. "Are you sure?"

He took a deep breath and set the cup on the table, figuring that he could hide it no longer. "Mom… I'm in a bit of a predicament…"

Ellie immediately moved closer and placed an arm around Kip's shoulders. "Why? What is wrong? Is it work-related?"

"No… it is… well…"

"Come on," she urged. "You can tell me."

"I'm having financial difficulties," he said at last, avoiding his mother's eyes and staring instead at the dark depths of the coffee in front of him.

There was a pregnant pause before Ellie spoke again. "How bad is it?"

It was not easy, trying to convey the graveness of his situation to his mother while withholding bits of vital information, such as how he got into the mess in the first place. When asked, he claimed that it was a loan from a friend, but Kip pretended not to hear when his mother pressed for more information.

"But that is a lot of money," Ellie said gravely. "I could spare some of my savings, but it wouldn't be enough…"

He sighed, turning at last to look at his mother. Gone were the hopes of getting help from his mother. "I know." His eyes fell on a small golden bangle that Ellie was wearing. He knew it wasn't worth much, but it reminded him of the box of jewellery that his mother kept in her room… He didn't know much about jewellery, but he was certain those were valuable. His mother would never part with them though… there were just too many memories associated with them…

"It's fine, mom. I'll try to solve it by myself. Thanks for the coffee."

He got up to leave, but Ellie grabbed his hand. "Wait. Before you go…"

She rushed out of the living room and returned a short while later, clutching several crumpled up bills. With her free hand, she took Kip's arm and pressed the paper money into his palm. "It's not much, but it might pull you over for the time being."

"Mom… I can't…"

"Take it," Ellie said firmly. "Don't worry too much about your problem; I'll try and think of something."

"Mom…" He gave her a peck on the cheek. "It's more than I can ever ask for. I promise I will repay you."

That was his mother. Though he had done wrong, she listened, and was completely compassionate about it. His mother's promise to come up with a solution greatly touched him, though he could not see how she could think up of one.

But his mother was no more… The memory of his mother's dead body resurfaced once more in his mind – a horrifying sight which he was sure he would carry to the grave. As the present-day Kip sat down on the chair at his office, he recalled walking into the bedroom with the lawyer, where his mother lay lifeless.

He had called for his men immediately. His sister, Corrine, was notified, and she told Kip she would rush over – she was at the neighbouring city. The body was sent to the hospital, though there was obviously no hope of reviving Ellie. An autopsy would be performed, and an investigation conducted.

Kip was torn in conflict. How should he handle the investigation? Accompanied by the doctor and Kip, Corrine got her first look at Ellie's body at the hospital. With a trembling hand, she had pulled back the sheet covering Ellie's face. The sight of it reduced her to tears, and tugging at Kip's arm, she begged for him to find the culprit. He wished he could, but…

And he stared once more at the trash bin which contained the torn pieces of the note. It was a cruel reminder sent to him from the thugs, just like the one he received shortly after his visit to Ellie that day.

Not too long after he stepped out of his mother's house, he had received a phone call. They had another job for him, and that was to smuggle some stolen Pokémon to other cities in the region. Pokémon poaching had been a major problem in Ferrous City, and the higher-ups in the police force were adamant in nabbing the culprits. So here was Kip, armed with the knowledge of the culprits' identities, and yet, completely helpless.

But to aid them? That was impossible – doing so would definitely cost him a great deal more than his job. He told them no, and they returned the favour in the form of threats. That was the catalyst which truly got him to sit and think about how best to get out of this situation. It was time for some drastic action…

And now, just like that day, it was time for the present-day Kip to do something he normally would have avoided.

Picking up his mobile phone, he dialed his sister's number and placed the phone to his ear. The ringing tone beeped a few times before she answered.

"Corrine, it's me."

"Oh. What is it?"

"Are you free now?"

"Why?" she asked.

"I wish to discuss something with you."

"Can't you just say it over the phone? And why didn't you discuss it earlier after we met the lawyer?"

He took in a deep breath. "Look – it's not something I would want to talk about over the phone. I… need your help in something. It only just cropped up…" After a short period of silence, he added, "Please."

"All right. It can't take long though; I've got an appointment later on."

"It won't. Thanks, Corrine."

After agreeing on a time and place, he bade her goodbye, sliding the phone back into his pocket. He hated to seek his sister's aid – unlike Ellie, Corrine was inquisitive and less likely to help much. Still, he was getting desperate.

There was no other way. Not for the first time, he had to swallow his pride.

A loud buzz resounded in Lucario's ears as he felt a sharp pain in his head. Groaning, he rubbed his temples, barely able to make out a concerned Absol through his blurred vision. In his haste to discuss the recent revelations with Absol, Lucario had pulled too fast out of Kip's mind, leaving him in a dizzy state.

"Lucario!" Absol yelped frantically. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing… just a moment's carelessness." He readjusted his scarf and got to his feet, which felt sore after sitting cross-legged for so long. "Did I… bump my head or something?"

Absol looked puzzled. "No. Why?"

"Nothing," he said again, directing his eyes to the police station some distance away. "So, Absol, what do you think? In my opinion, he really loves his mother…"

"But you can't deny that he's hiding something," Absol said quickly. "_And_, he would have a motive for murder."

"Motive?" Lucario enquired, stroking the back of his pounding head.

"He was eyeing Ellie's bangle… and we found out from the lawyer that her jewellery were stolen," Absol pointed out. His voice was trembling slightly, though whether from anger or excitement Lucario did not know.

It took Lucario a while before he understood what Absol was going on about – he was struggling to keep up with the conversation, what with the sudden headache he had developed. "I see… so you are saying that Kip murdered Ellie just to get his hands on the jewellery? Is it even enough to pay off his debt?"

"I don't know, but this theory fits, Lucario! It fits!" He then let out a gasp. "But of course! After murdering Ellie, he's hoping to settle the loan with his inheritance… that makes sense!"

"I guess so, but let's try to insert Kip into the scenario then, and we'll see how it works out."

"Okay. Firstly, he knocks on the door, and I run up to the attic…"

In his mind's eye, Lucario saw Ellie open the door, exclaiming in surprise when she saw who it was. Kip, with his hands in his pockets, strolled in casually, giving no hints of what he was about to do.

"He asks about the jewellery," came Absol's voice, "but Ellie insists that she couldn't part with them."

And Lucario pictured Kip and Ellie in the room, arguing over a box of jewellery. Driven by frustration and desperation, Kip reached into his pocket and pulled out a blade. His mother screamed, but Kip was quick. The deed was done.

"T–then…"

Lucario looked up. Absol was shivering slightly as he tried to continue his speech, and Lucario guessed that his white-furred friend was picturing the same scene as he was.

With a gulp, Absol continued, "When it was over…"

Here, Absol stopped, and Lucario knew why. It was easy to picture the events leading to the murder, but what happened next was a total enigma, and it would take a tremendous amount of luck to make an accurate guess as to what really transpired that night.

"We know that someone broke the kitchen window after that," Lucario said. "If we assume that Kip was working solo, then it was him who broke the window. But why?"

Absol answered without hesitation. "To make it look like a robbery. It was perfect. Break the window, steal the gold. People would assume that Ellie was murdered by the robber."

"But Absol, the murderer went up to the attic twice. Why would Kip do that? Is there anything valuable in the attic?"

"There's the safes…"

"But he doesn't know the combination to the other safes," Lucario reasoned. "He could only open his own, and he could have done it anytime he wanted. Why that night?"

"Maybe he found out the combination to the other safes," Absol countered. "Or maybe he thought he could force the safes open…"

"Well, okay, but why enter the attic twice?"

"That… er…" Absol smiled sheepishly. "Maybe he left something behind the first time?"

"Highly unlikely."

"Okay, okay, I admit I don't have a good explanation for that part." Absol began to pace around agitatedly in circles. "But Luc… everything else fits!"

"I beg to differ, Absol," he replied, folding his arms. The pain in his head had receded, and he found himself able to think clearly again. "Let's think about the events after that night." Absol opened his mouth, but Lucario cut in. "I know what you're thinking. You believe that Kip purposely did a bad job with the investigation. I concur – he has control over the investigation, and it would be easy to sabotage it.

"However, Absol, remember the note Kip received earlier? It stated that he hadn't made a payment for months now. If the robbery was a success, why did he not sell the jewellery and make some payment? At least it would buy him more time… please the group that he took the loan from…"

"Selling the jewellery would be risky," said Absol. "What if shops everywhere were told to be on the lookout for anyone who tried to sell those specific pieces?"

"Really? Are Ellie's possessions one of a kind or something? Because, if not, I imagine it would be hard to ascertain if a particular item belonged to Ellie."

"I… don't know. I've never really seen Ellie's jewellery before." Absol bowed his head, looking disappointed. "You raise a good point though. Unless Kip used the money for something else… or – or –" He looked up excitedly. "What if he took a loan from more than one party? Maybe the note was from a different group whom he had not paid yet!"

"I suppose that's plausible… but either way, it would mean that we need to investigate more. We lack evidence."

"I guess… Hey, Luc, even if we figured out who the culprit was, how are we going to tell the police?"

"That is a good question." Seeing Kip walking out of the police station, Lucario gave a small smile. "But let's worry about that later. It's time for us to move again."

"Okay." Taking his eyes off the sergeant, Absol turned back to Lucario with concern etched over his face. "But hey, Lucario, are you feeling all right?"

"Yes," said Lucario, surprised. "Why?"

"I dunno… you seemed like you were in pain earlier. If you're unwell, please don't overexert yourself just for me."

"Oh, that. Really, Absol, I'm fine." Seeing his friend's unconvinced expression, he chuckled. "You worry too much. You'll never enjoy life fully if you stay that way."

Absol laughed darkly. "There's not much to enjoy anyway."

"Look here, Absol," Lucario said, placing a paw on Absol's back. "Before, I was quite doubtful that we'll be able to find who killed Ellie, but we've made quite a lot of headway since this morning. With a bit of luck, we'll get to the bottom of this puzzle soon enough.

"For some time now, this ordeal has been holding you back. When it's over… get out there and enjoy yourself! Explore! There are many places I would like to show you – have you been to the park? Or the beach? It's really fun; maybe we can go for a picnic or something – invite Flaze and Umbreon, and Eevee, if she would like to come. Wouldn't it be great?"

"I guess…" A smile slowly spread across Absol's features as he glanced up at Lucario. "Are you sure you want to invite Eevee though? I expect she'll be the life of the party, she will."

Lucario grinned. "Always the pessimist. Come on, let's go. Who knows, we might even solve this case today…"

Absol grunted, smirking. "Always the optimist."

**:::::::::::::::::::**

The little café at the corner of the street was renowned for its wide selection of beverages. Though rather small, it was decorated beautifully, and had a pleasant atmosphere that certainly helped draw customers in. Classy and expensive, Kip could certainly see why Corrine chose the café as their meeting place – he doubted any mere coffee shop would meet her standards. He didn't care, as long as she footed the bill.

When he arrived, he found Corrine sitting by herself at a table on the café's exterior, perusing a small book. Her eyes were moving slowly across the page as she absentmindedly tapped her finger on the corner of the book. The glitter of a ring on the finger caught his eye, but he shook away his thoughts and walked up to join his sister.

He pulled up a chair and sat down. "Good evening."

Corrine did not take her eyes away from the book. "Hello."

Looking around, he noticed that there were very few patrons, and most of them were sitting inside instead of out. In fact, all the other tables outside were unoccupied with the exception of one at the far end.

The two customers at that table were very peculiar indeed: an Absol who couldn't seem to stop staring at him and a Lucario with a red scarf. Unnerved by the Disaster Pokémon's glare, he turned to look at the Lucario, who was shaking his head at the waitress.

"It's fine if you want to sit here without buying anything," the waitress told the Lucario, "but if more customers come, you'll need to get up for them."

The Lucario nodded and picked up a menu, his crimson eyes scanning the pages as though he was able to read the words. Or perhaps he was just looking at the pictures. As the thought ran through Kip's mind, the Pokémon let out a bark-like laugh and looked at him.

Definitely feeling uncomfortable now, he took his eyes off the strange pair and focused on Corrine instead, who remained blissfully oblivious to the Pokémon's presence.

"So, what do you need help with?" she asked, finally putting the book away after placing a bookmark on the page she stopped.

"I need to borrow some money."

"Money?" She regarded him for a moment with a slight leer. The request did not seem to surprise her in the least. "Whatever do you need it for?"

"Oh, I don't know," he said, annoyed. "What is money used for?"

"Money can be used for lots of things," she replied without missing a beat. "Such as buying stuff… and repaying loans."

At this, Kip gaped at her. "You knew."

She spoke again in an almost-haughty tone that he did not like. "Anyone could have easily guessed, but yes, I've heard about your little problem."

"Was it mom who told you?"

"She did mention it, yeah. So why are you in debt anyway?"

"That's none of your concern!" Kip said sharply.

"None of my concern?" she replied coldly. "Kip, you're trying to borrow money from me! How is it none of my concern?"

"I take it that you're not going to help me then."

As he made to get up, Corrine laughed. "I never said anything of the sort. I was just thinking… you are in need of money, and mother's dead; her jewellery stolen and her wealth to be distributed soon. Quite convenient, don't you think?"

His face paled as cold fear washed over him. His shocked expression, however, was soon replaced by one of rage. "I can't believe – are you actually saying that I killed my own mother? I would never do that!"

"Is that your guilty conscience speaking, Kip?" And as rage seemed to have rendered Kip speechless, Corrine reached into her bag and took out her purse. "So, how much is it you need?" She withdrew a piece of paper money and held it up. "Is one Pokédollar enough?"

"You're joking! I'm talking about a huge sum here!"

"A huge sum," she repeated icily. "Why don't you wait until the money in mother's back account is split between us then? I'm sure it would be enough."

"There's no time!" He shook his head exasperatedly. "Corrine, are you going to help me or not? I'm in need of money urgently – I'll pay you back someday!"

"Someday." She folded her arms and stared blankly skywards. "If there's one thing I've learnt growing up with you, it's that someday never comes. When it's me who needed help, what was your favourite reply? Someday. And what about mother? 'I'll nab the murderer – someday!' And the next thing I hear, the investigation is going to end soon!"

"For your information," Kip hissed through gritted teeth, "I've been told that it is highly likely the investigation will be reopened with someone else in charge. So maybe I won't be the one who nabs the killer, but the higher-ups are quite determined to settle this case. I assure you, Corrine…"

Corrine opened her mouth, but said nothing. Instead, she leaned backwards on her chair and fiddled with the button on her coat, apparently deep in thought. "Are you sure they'll be able to catch who did it though? I don't want to sound pessimistic, but they're unlikely to uncover anything new, are they?"

"That remains to be seen."

"Very well." She bit her lip, twisting the button a little more violently with a blank expression on her face.

Kip stared bewilderedly at her. "You're going to rip that button off."

"It wouldn't be the first time." She released her grip and leaned forward towards Kip, lowering her voice to almost a whisper. "Look, it's not like I'm financially stable at the moment. I might be able to lighten your load a little, but you're better off seeking a loan from the bank or something."

"The bank?" Kip snorted. "With an interest rate that high? You must be joking."

"And what gives you the idea that my interest rate isn't any higher?"

He gaped at her in disbelief. "I have to pay you interest?"

"And I want you to sign a contract as well. I expect you to pay me back promptly – not 'someday', that's for sure."

"You're unbelievable," he said, shaking his head in frustration. "Fine, fine! Just… how much can you spare now?"

"Now?" Corrine withdrew the piece of paper money she held up earlier. "Here. This one's free – you needn't pay me back."

"I'm serious, Corrine."

"So am I. I told you; I don't exactly have a lot at the moment. You will have to wait a –"

Kip's phone began to ring. Corrine stopped talking as Kip, feeling slightly apprehensive, took the device out from his pocket and stared at the number. His hunch was correct – the call was from his creditor.

"Fine," he told Corrine as he pressed a palm against the phone, as though attempting to block out the sound of the ringing. "I will see you another day."

"Goodbye," she replied nonchalantly, eyeing the phone with apparent interest. The moment Kip walked away though, her mind was swirling wildly. So Kip was heavily in debt, and he was getting desperate… well, that wasn't really news to her… And the image of her dead mother surfaced in her mind, cold and lifeless, dead in her own home…

"Luc," whispered Absol as he nudged the concentrating Aura Pokémon. "Kip's getting away. We should leave, don't you think?"

Lucario opened his eyes. Kip was standing still at an isolated corner of the café, the phone pressed against his ear. He was certainly stressed out – that was understandable – but why was the same waves of uneasiness emitting from Corrine as well?

"We might be able to get some info by listening to his phone call," Absol urged.

"Yes, but…" He pushed the menu he had been holding all the while to the side and gazed at Corrine. Something was not quite right with her thoughts, and it was the perfect time to pry deeper. And yet, Absol was right – they might be able to learn something new if they eavesdropped on Kip's conversation.

"Absol, you go closer to Kip and listen to what he says. There's something else I need to do… it might be important…"

"What?" Absol yelped. "What if he sees me?"

"He doesn't know who you are – you'll be fine! Just pretend you're looking for crumbs or something. I'll stay here for a moment."

Though he still seemed doubtful, Absol nodded. "Okay. Wish me luck."

Lucario couldn't help but grin. "Good luck." Then, closing his eyes once more, he began to draw in the surrounding waves like an aura magnet. The waves emitting from the siblings were rough and unpleasant, reflecting their mood. Focusing his senses on Corrine, he intruded on her thoughts again.

The room was shrouded in darkness, and in it, a secret was hidden… There she lay, lifeless, eyes staring unseeingly straight ahead. What was running through her mind before she was killed? Poor mother… murdered in her own home in the middle of the night…

The scene faded to black, and in the complete darkness, Ellie's voice rang out, echoing loudly. "Kip was here earlier today."

Kip? He went to see you, mother? How odd… he rarely visits you, ever…

"He's in a bit of a bind."

No surprises there. He's always getting into trouble. I'm not sure why you're so worried. He always worms his way out somehow.

"And I've been thinking…"

Oh, no… Please… Please don't tell me you're going to do something stupid again just to help him… He isn't worth the trouble…

"Maybe… if I sell this house…"

The scene exploded into colour, and Lucario could make out the living room in Ellie's house. Corrine was sitting on the sofa – the exact spot that Kip sat on in the memory Lucario had witnessed from Kip's mind.

"Mother," Corrine spoke furiously, "you're thinking of selling the house?"

"Corrine," Ellie replied soothingly, trying to placate her daughter. "You know that this house would be sold eventually…"

"I know, I know! You stated in your will that the house will be sold after you – after you –" Corrine bit her lip; she couldn't bring herself to utter the last word. "A–anyway! Where will you live? Really, mother, you shouldn't…"

"I have thought about that." Ellie, who was sitting on Corrine's left, glanced down at the floor. Her hands were clamped together, and she was visibly upset that her daughter was not supportive of her idea. "I thought I could stay with Kip…"

She looked up expectantly at Corrine, as though saying "or you".

"You, stay with Kip?" Corrine muttered, not bothering to conceal the scorn in her voice. "Would he agree to that?"

"He would," she replied persistently. "I'm helping him, after all. He _should_."

"Right. Okay. Let's assume that you're really going to sell the house. How much of the money will Kip need?"

Ellie did not answer right away – instead, she twiddled her thumbs and stared out of the window straight ahead. At last, she leaned closer to Corrine's ear and whispered.

"What!" Corrine drew back and stared incredulously at her mother.

"Shh!" Ellie hissed, and for some reason, she cast her eyes upwards at the ceiling. "No need to shout!"

"That is ridiculous!" Corrine bellowed, ignoring her. "So you'll pretty much be left with nothing, after selling this house! You can't do that! It's best to just leave him be…"

"But he's your brother!"

"Since when has he ever acted like one?" she retorted. "Sometimes, I find myself wondering if he really is a part of the family…"

Ellie gasped. "That's a horrible thing to say! Even if you two never got along well…"

"Mother… please…" Corrine grabbed both of her mother's hands and held onto them tightly. "Don't do this… It's not worth it…"

Ellie's lips quivered as she stared at Corrine. "All right," she said at last. "I'll reconsider – I'll try to see if there's a better solution…"

But she never did find a better alternative that would help Kip pay off his loan. Perhaps it was that which cost her her life… and once again, the brutal, vivid image of Ellie's lifeless body lying on the floor of her own bedroom flew through Corrine's mind… the surprised expression on her face, the long gash on her throat, the blank look in her eyes… Never would she speak again… never would she speak again… never would she –

Corrine broke out of her thoughts and stared bewilderedly at the foreign object that seemed to have found its way into her palm. It took her quite some time to realise that it was the button from her coat, which had finally succumbed once more to her constant twisting and tugging. Clenching her fist tightly, she cast a dirty look at Kip – who was still busy with his phone call – and got up, deciding that she would head home and take a long nap to clear her head.

Or maybe she could stop by her mother's house, which was near her home… but even if she did, it was not as though she could do anything… not now, anyway. Choosing to go along with her first idea, she walked away, her head full with thoughts of her comfortable home and the rest she greatly needed.

Giddy as he was after yet another mind-reading attempt, Lucario felt his heart pounding rapidly against his chest as he attempted to make sense of all the information he had just gathered. Corrine's thoughts were messy and cryptic, but something about it did not add up… there was a contradiction…

Before he could ponder further, Absol caught his eye: the Disaster Pokémon was waving a paw frantically at him, drawing stares from several patrons in the café's interior, who were pointing at him and laughing. Curious, he walked slowly towards his friend.

Lucario surveyed Kip for a moment before turning to Absol, lowering his voice to a whisper. "What's the matter?"

"Apparently, they're forcing him to pay up," Absol replied darkly. "And it looks bad, too. He's been trying to persuade them to give him more time, but I don't think he's having much luck. Oh, wait, I forgot," he turned to face Lucario, "I'm sorry for interrupting you. Have you finished whatever it was that you wanted to do?"

"Yeah, I'm done with that. Sorry for making you wait."

"Not at all – I should be the apologising here!" He eyed Lucario earnestly. You don't look too good, Lucario…"

"Really?" he said in surprise. "In what way?"

"You look exhausted. I know you didn't sleep much last night…"

"I'll be fine, Absol," he said, half-laughing. "You didn't sleep much either, so let's have a good rest after we find the culprit."

Absol chuckled lightly. "No, Luc, that's not the right way to phrase it. If we never find the criminal…"

"Ha… I see what you mean…"

They shared a brief period of laughter which quickly died away as Absol turned to Kip again. There were strong emotions radiating from the sergeant; a mixture of despair, desperation, and anger. The call was certainly giving him a lot of pressure.

"A week," Kip said, his voice shaking slightly. "Give me a week. I think I can pay a fair amount by then. After that… just wait until the lawyer transfers the money. Please."

"A week," Absol muttered. "Where is he going to get the money?"

"It could be a lie," suggested Lucario. "Maybe he plans to run for it."

Absol scoffed. "And give up everything? He has quite a lot to lose…"

"He's going to lose everything anyway, if he doesn't pay up. I guess there's no hope for him either way."

"Yep!" Absol was smirking, and for a moment, he reminded Lucario greatly of Eevee. "Guess you're right! Ah, he's done… what are you going to do now, Luc?"

Kip, finished with his phone call, was now walking distractedly around the sidewalk outside the café. His mind was abuzz with thoughts, so there was a good chance of picking up valuable information. And yet, the Aura Pokémon could hardly forget his previous attempts at reading someone's mind while moving… bumping his muzzle into objects certainly wasn't much fun.

"Guide me."

Absol blinked bewilderedly. "I beg your pardon?"

"I can't concentrate well while walking at the same time, so…"

Absol's look of surprise soon changed to one of amusement. "Oh, that's right… that time at the school…"

"Glad you remember." His head began to throb as he was overcome by another bout of dizziness. Not wanting to alarm Absol, he tried to disguise it by rubbing his eyes. "I will read his thoughts while placing a paw on your back. You lead the way, but remember not to get to close. Because of this though… I won't be able to broadcast his thoughts to you."

"That's fine… Let's go!"

And so, with a paw on Absol's back, Lucario closed his eyes and focused, despite knowing it would only worsen his condition. Still, it was good training – how could he expect to prevent the city and forest from ruin if he wasn't even able to withstand a mere mind-reading marathon?

_I have no choice._

Time was running out… And Kip was so close to having all his problems solved… But they just wouldn't wait, which meant that he, too, could no longer afford to wait until he received his inheritance. There was no other way. Though it was risky, he should be able to buy enough time… but it shouldn't be a problem… he wouldn't even need to be there for long… a few minutes would do.

So the next question would be… when? Well, the answer was simple, really. As the investigation was about to end, security around his mother's house was not as stringent as before. There were even days when the house was left completely unguarded. All on his orders, of course – after all, he was in charge of the investigation.

And that would work to his advantage. But to enter the house during the day would seem a tad impulsive. Once, Kip had spotted an officer at the house who claimed that he was ordered by the superintendent to stand guard there. If that were to happen again…

Perhaps the best time to do it would be in the middle of the night. Yeah, that's right. Just like last time. It would all work out just fine…

Satisfied and reassured, the last of his thoughts died away, and Kip continued his walk with his mind blissfully blank. Lucario pulled himself out of Kip's mind and withdrew his paw from Absol.

The Disaster Pokémon looked at him quizzically, apparently surprised that Lucario's mind-reading session was over so soon. "Anything important?"

"Well… yes, but I need more info. And now, Absol," Lucario said, with an air of a magician about to perform his next trick, "it's time I take a more active role in human-watching… I am going to try a little something…"

"Oh, I get it!" Absol exclaimed, comprehension dawning on him. "Earlier this morning, you mentioned that you're planning to do something you've never done before…"

"Yes, that's right. I've been thinking… it's hard to obtain specific information from someone's mind if their thoughts are all over the place, but that doesn't mean I can't stir their thoughts to my favour… So, yeah, that's the plan. Instead of just reading his mind, I'm going to influence it – based on what I've uncovered, I'm going to dig deeper."

Absol paused in his tracks, gazing at Lucario in an awestruck manner. "Wow! Is that even possible?"

"Maybe. Oh, but please don't get your hopes up!" he added hastily. "Maybe a better Lucario could do it, I'm not sure, but you know me. Between work and play, I've always chosen the latter."

"No, Lucario; don't downplay yourself so much. You've helped me a lot ever since I met you, and you're truly fun to hang around with. I was really lucky to stop by the lake that day."

Lucario smiled; the memory of their first encounter was still fresh in his mind, and he was extremely grateful to Xatu for leading him to Absol. "Thanks, Absol. I'll try not to disappoint. So… mind manipulation might be a little riskier, because Kip might realise that someone else is interfering with his thoughts. I think we made an error earlier. We let Kip notice us. So, if he were to spot us again following him, he might get suspicious."

"Er…" Absol stared at Kip, who was walking a distance away with his hands in his pockets. "So, what should we do?"

"We'll do it like before. I'll hold onto you, and you lead the way. Be sure to maintain a distance, and avoid drawing attention to yourself. If he spots us, wake me up or something."

"Riiiiight." Absol stared uncertainly around the streets, where several passers-by were roaming around. "By the way, Lucario, a number of people were looking at us oddly earlier."

"Well…" He pictured himself, with his eyes closed, walking slowly behind Absol with a paw on the dark-type's back. "I imagine it was quite an amusing sight. But that can't be helped."

"If you say so," said Absol, shrugging. "Are you going to tell me what you found in the guy's mind that compelled you to probe further?"

"Maybe later. Who knows, it might end up not being anything important."

"Okay then. So… shall we begin?"

Lucario took a deep breath and placed his paw once more on Absol. "Yes, let's."

The strong waves of uneasiness radiating from Kip earlier had gone, replaced by a strange calmness. Apparently, Kip was so sure that his plan would work that he no longer felt worried. Still, this would only make it easier for Lucario to slip into his mind, though the Aura Pokémon no longer wished to remain a mere spectator of his thoughts.

His previous trip to Kip's mind, though short, had raised several important questions, and Lucario was intending to use them in order to drill deeper. What was Kip intending to do? Why was he planning to enter Ellie's house again, and why must it be done without anyone else seeing him? And what did he mean 'just like last time'?

_Last time… when was that again?_

Kip paused for a moment, feeling a little disoriented by the sudden question that had formulated in his mind. Walking again, he reflected on his memories… Looking back, the last time… yes, it was the day his mother was murdered. It was dangerous; he mustn't be caught hanging around there…

_But I was not caught._

And yet, he constantly worries that someone would discover the incriminating evidence he had left behind. It really was stupid of him – clearly, he was better at nabbing criminals, not being one. Thankfully, he managed to convince the superintendent to let him handle the case… yes, it was vital that he supervised the investigation, and not anyone else…

_I need to get rid of the evidence._

Yes… the voice in his head was telling him the obvious. He often thought of removing the evidence, but the opportunity never presented itself. His men were always around the crime scene; it would be too risky to try getting rid of the evidence. And knowing that his mother's will would be read soon, he just figured that he would wait… and the evidence would come to him instead of the other way around.

_So I need to wait a little more… it'll come to me…_

No, wait. That's not right. He had already decided to remove the evidence immediately, didn't he? It was the only way he could satiate the hunger of those loan sharks; and, of course, he would be able to dispose off the very items that would link him to his crime. Like hitting a couple of Starly with one stone…

_My crime… I murdered mother…_

No! That was not true!

Kip's mind swirled violently, and Lucario fought hard to hang on.

What were these bizarre thoughts running through his head? It was as though a foreign entity had taken control of it, force-feeding him with negative thoughts… Or was that what they called a guilty conscience?

But he was not the murderer! Guilty, yes, but not of killing his own mother! He would never have done that. He loved his mother deeply, and would like nothing more than to capture the killer, but to do so would risk the exposure of his own crime. As such, he begged to become the person in charge of the investigation… The others thought it was his way of showing grief – by trying to capture the one who killed his mother. They never suspected that there was an ulterior motive.

He could still remember when an officer approached him on the first day of investigation. "Sir, we suspect that it was robbery – I mean, it's evident that several of her possessions were stolen."

"That's right," Kip replied. "Her jewellery."

"Yes, but we think that more may have been stolen. There are four safes up in the attic, and –"

"No." Perhaps he was too quick to reply, for the officer looked taken aback. "I am positive that the criminal did not remove anything from within them. Check for prints if you want, but you can be assured that no one outside of this family knows the combination to those safes."

The officer showed signs of protesting, but in the end, he merely said, "Will do, sir."

That was the most important thing: no one must know what lay hidden in his safe. Everyday, he faced the constant fear of someone – the higher-ups, for example – ordering him to open it up. But he was lucky; no one ever did. He expected Corrine to call for an inspection of the safes, but she, too, did not mind leaving the safes untouched. So much the better for him.

His ideal plan was to have the safe delivered to him. The lawyer, David, was not particularly helpful, always insisting that it would take some time before Ellie's will was read. And now, though the safe was to be delivered to him in a few weeks, he could no longer wait.

_That night, I was there. I committed a crime. _

_I'm horrible._

_Heartless._

NO! Don't think that… But… it was true. No amount of self-justification would convince him otherwise, no matter how hard he tried. He knew it was wrong, and yet, he did it anyway. That night, he had lost all respect for himself.

It was late at night. Dressed entirely in black, Kip was well-hidden in the shadows, his heart pounding heavily as though threatening to burst out of his chest. His mother should be asleep by now, and if all went well, he would be out of the house in minutes without being discovered.

His chosen point of entry was the kitchen window. From there, he would sneak into the bedroom, which should be unlocked. He had spent years telling his mother to lock the bedroom door before she slept, but she always turned a deaf ear to his advice, insisting that locking the front door was sufficient. Now see how that would work to his advantage!

But what if she was awake? That would certainly complicate matters… He had brought a mask along as a precaution, but there was no telling if she could see through his disguise. Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. He made a silent promise – he would pay her back. Someday.

Wait… was that a scream? No, it was probably his imagination. He was extremely nervous, to the point where he was shivering slightly. Well, he had better start.

He tried opening the window, but of course, it was locked. He couldn't help but laugh – for a moment, he actually had his hopes up. Picking up the tools he had brought, he began to pound at the window lightly.

He had meant to break the window as silently as he could, but unfortunately, a moment of carelessness caused a resounding crash. Paralysed with fear, he quickly glanced around his surroundings for any neighbours who might have popped their heads out of their windows to check the source of the sound. Thankfully, there were none; but he was now faced with a dilemma. Surely his mother would have heard that?

But he must continue. After checking to make sure that his cloth mask was securely on, he clambered through the window and made his way slowly out of the kitchen. The light in the living room was on, but all was quiet. Perhaps that was a good sign.

The master bedroom was dark, but he was quite sure the bed was empty… Where could his mother be then?

But now was not the time for questions. He moved over to the wardrobe, and removed the jewellery box from its hiding place – under a stack of clothes. Most of the pieces his mother owned were presents from his late father, and thus, she always kept them nearby so she could wear a different piece each day. "It's like having a part of him with me," she would say.

He knew he was doing a great wrong, stealing her memories like that. He was certain that once he sold them, there was very little chance of getting the jewellery back. Then again… she would get over it eventually…

Done with pouring the items into a tiny sack he had brought, his eyes fell upon her purse, which was placed on top of the bedside table. Since he had already proceeded beyond the point of no return…

The purse contained quite a variety of items including keys, her identity card, various knickknacks… Well, he had no need for them. Instead, he emptied all the coins and paper money from it into his sack, which was steadily growing heavier.

Satisfied with the night's earnings, he returned the purse to its original position and peered into his sack. He doubted the loot was enough to clear his debt completely, but it should lessen his load significantly, not to mention buy him time…

As he was about to step out of the room, another thing caught his eye. For some reason, the bedspread was laying in a corner of the room. His mother was certainly not the untidy type, and it struck Kip odd that she would just leave the bedspread like that.

Curious, he moved closer towards the bedspread and picked it up. He had only thought of placing it back on the bed; never did he expect that he would find the answer to his earlier question regarding his mother's whereabouts.

The sight of his mother's dead body sent him into a state of shock so intense that he could not remember how long he just stood there, gaping. He was totally unable to accept what he was seeing. How could this be true? He must be in some sort of twisted reality, for his mother surely could not be dead…

Without really thinking, he dragged her from the corner of the room into the middle, where he tried to reverse fate and resuscitate her by the useless act of shaking the lifeless body. It wasn't until he heard a door slam did he return to his senses.

Who was that? Who else was in the house? The murderer? Or… someone else? And then he was reminded of the true reason behind his existence in the house that night. He was a thief, a thief cradling a dead body. If he was caught… no amount of explanation would convince anyone that he was not the murderer. Not that he was completely innocent in the first place, but…

There was no time to lose. He had to leave the crime scene. But if the new entrant had came in through the front door, running to the kitchen was not really an option. Instead, he could run to the back… the attic…

He ran as fast as he could, reaching the switch to the attic in no time. He jabbed the button hurriedly and watched in anticipation as the stairs revealed itself slowly. He dashed up and pressed the switch on the other end repeatedly to hide the stairway again. And there, in the darkness, he was safe.

What were his options now? Obviously, he had to get away from the house as quickly as possible. But if someone was downstairs… Ah, but wait! The house belonged to his mother, after all. It wouldn't be so strange if he was found inside it. Perhaps he could go down and pretend that he did not know about his mother's death. In fact, if his acting was good enough, he could try to push the blame to the stranger…

But that was extremely risky. He may be a gambling man, but the stakes were much too high. First of all, it might not be a human downstairs. Perhaps a stray Pokémon had wandered into the house and killed his mother. If he were to go down and confront it, he could end up being its next victim.

Secondly, it would take but a mere investigation to determine if the stranger downstairs was involved in the crime or not. If he or she was found to be innocent, all the suspicion would shift to Kip instead…

No, the ideal solution would be for him to leave the house undetected. And then he realised that he was still holding on to the sack containing all the stolen items. It would be disastrous if he was discovered with it in his possession… But he didn't want to get rid of it either. The sack was the answer to his money problems. He needed a safe place to store it so he could retrieve it at a later date…

A safe place… Of course, his safe!

No one else knew the combination. He was the only one who could open it. Elated, he strode over to the four safes and began keying in the combination to his own. The door of the safe opened and he tossed the sack inside, the jewellery within it tinkling as they bumped the safe's interior.

Now, to get out. There weren't any noises coming from downstairs, which caused Kip to ponder if he had just imagined the door slamming. Either way, he should not stick around. He pressed the switch again and walked down the stairs warily, searching for sign of the stranger.

After closing the attic trapdoor, he walked slowly through the hallway, which was thankfully empty. He sneaked past the bedroom where his mother lay, and the truth began to sink in: his mother was truly gone from this world.

Shelving his emotions, he walked back to the kitchen. As he climbed out of the window, he began thinking about his next course of action instead. If the door slam was truly just a figment of his imagination, then the body would remain undiscovered. Therefore, he would visit his mother tomorrow… get rid of the items in his safe, and then he would 'discover' the body, and finally, he would call in the police. He would ask to be in charge of the investigation, and he would ensure that the secret in his safe remain secure.

His way forward was clear.

But things did not go according to plan. When he went to the house the next day, David, the lawyer, was at the doorstep. He had no choice but to go in with him. They discovered the body together. Kip did not get the opportunity to remove the items from the safe.

But no matter. Now, the present-day Kip would retrieve his goods, and the job he had set out to do would finally be complete. Tomorrow night. He would spend the morning searching for people who would buy the gold. And, after an evening of work at the station, he would seek out the items at midnight. And then the nightmare would finally be over.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

"Lucario! Lucario!"

Someone was shaking him violently… go away… it wasn't a pleasant feeling, being shaken like that…

"Luc, wake up! Please!"

He opened his eyes slowly; he could make out a blurry, white outline. Slowly, Lucario's vision began to sharpen, and he saw Absol staring at him fretfully. The fear in the white-furred Pokémon's eyes dissolved away as soon as he saw Lucario awaken.

"Oh, you're alive! Thank goodness!"

"What happened, Absol?" He scratched his head and looked around groggily. "Where am I?"

"We're in the city!" Absol replied, sounding worried again. "You were reading Kip's mind, remember?"

"Oh… oh yeah! We were walking, weren't we? Did I bump into something again?"

Absol shook his head. "No. Actually, we stopped walking quite some time ago." He raised a paw and pointed at the building in front of him – some sort of apartment like the one Zack and Flaze stayed in. "This is his home, I think. I figured you were able to read his mind from outside, so I stopped following him."

"Ah." With his dizziness slowly ebbing away, he now noticed that he was sitting behind a bush. "I get it. But what happened to me?"

"I dunno… you kind of fell over a short while ago." Absol was gazing at Lucario with wide eyes. "You scared me – I thought you died!"

Lucario laughed as he attempted to get on his feet while holding onto a tree for support. "Absol, you really do worry too much. I've been telling you for ages…"

"But still… you're definitely not okay! Don't push yourself too hard, I'm begging you…"

"I won't." After stretching his arms and legs, he turned back to Absol. "I think I finally understand what happened that night."

"What?" Absol jumped to his feet. "You mean – you mean he was the murderer?"

"No, he wasn't. But I may have an idea as to who it was. But I'll need to investigate further."

"No," Absol said firmly. "I want you to go home and rest. Please, Luc, you've already done more than I could ever ask for."

"But… now would be the perfect time…"

"Your wellbeing is more important." Absol walked a little closer and nudged Lucario, as though attempting to push him all the way back to the cave. "Let's go, Lucario. Whatever you plan on doing, it can wait."

Lucario thought of arguing, but was suddenly made aware of how hungry he was by the low growl in his stomach. "Oh, all right. Just a short break, okay?"

Absol brightened up immediately. "Yep! Wait… what do you mean, 'short'? Let's just call it a day, why don't we?"

"Well… we'll see," Lucario said vaguely, though his mind was already made. Earlier, he thought there was something odd about Corrine's thoughts, and it wasn't until he dove into Kip's recollections did he finally understand why it bothered him so. There was something she'd seen that she shouldn't have…

Yes, there was a high chance of Corrine being the murderer, but he was not about to tell Absol that… not until he had concrete proof. Still, it would explain why she was suddenly so agitated when Kip told her that the investigation may be reopened with someone else in charge. And she had a motive too, if Ellie had decided to sell the house after all.

If she was indeed the criminal, her mind would probably be vulnerable now, what with the conversation with Kip about his financial troubles and the revelation regarding the possible reopening of the investigation. It would be easy to dig out the necessary information…

"Are you all right, Lucario?" Absol was staring intently at him as he walked. "You're being awfully quiet."

Lucario broke out of his thoughts, and was surprised to see that there were already nearing his cave. "I'm just thinking. Absol… now that we know Kip isn't the murderer… are you disappointed?"

"Oh." Absol seemed to be taken aback by the question. "Well… I don't really know how to answer that. Of course, it's too bad we have no idea who the criminal is, but I guess it's great that it wasn't him. I mean… imagine how Ellie must have felt!"

The Aura Pokémon remained silent as Absol went on talking. "Though I still think he's behaving very suspiciously… but perhaps I've been too quick in jumping to conclusions. It makes me feel a little guilty now, badmouthing him all this while…"

It was then that Lucario remembered – he had yet to tell Absol about the latest bit of information he unearthed. "Don't be so quick to feel sorry either."

"Why?" Absol said sharply, looking surprised. "But – but he wasn't involved, was he?"

"About that… it's hard to explain…" He walked up to the cave's entrance and unsealed it. "Absol, give me a few hours. When I get back, I promise I'll tell you what I know."

"You… you aren't thinking of going out again?" Absol said in consternation as he rushed up to the blue-furred Pokémon, who was slowly walking into the cave. "Lucario, no! You need rest!"

"I know my limits, and I will not push myself beyond them. I want you to stay here, Absol. I won't be long."

"Why? Why can't I go with you?"

Lucario paused, the reason being he wasn't sure of the answer himself. Why did he not want Absol to follow him? Was he afraid of what Absol would do if he received confirmation that Corrine was the murderer? Or was it because he was afraid Absol would want to receive a broadcast of Corrine's thoughts as well? But he would have to find out eventually anyway…

"I don't know," Lucario answered truthfully. Finally reaching the room within the cave, he walked over to the food crate and picked up the paper bag containing the bread he had bought from Celia yesterday. "I just… want to confirm my suspicions before I do anything else."

"But what if you faint again?"

"I promise I'll take good care of myself." He removed the croissant from the bag and placed it in his mouth. He then handed the bag over to Absol with both paws and said, through telepathy, "_It's not very fresh anymore, but these are some items from Celia's bakery. Help yourself."_

With the croissant still in mouth, he flashed his usual comforting smile and dashed before Absol could protest.

"Come back soon!" came Absol's voice, sounding exasperated and desperate.

And he ran onwards with speed such that the tails of his scarf flew wildly behind him, his mind planning ahead all the things he wanted to do. _I will_.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

He was exhausted. It was hard keeping his eyes open, not to mention walk, but he pressed on anyway, with the knowledge that he was almost at his destination. In his arm was a small white box, and heavy in his mind were the memories which he had uncovered. Phase one of the plan had been successfully completed, and phase two would commence the next day, after a long rest.

Lucario tottered to the top of the mountain, only to find Absol sitting outside, staring at the moon. The Disaster Pokémon looked around sharply as Lucario drew closer, and ran immediately to support him.

"I told you!" he said anxiously, slowly guiding Lucario back into the cave. The Aura Pokémon felt inwardly thankful that he had not sealed the entrance before he left – if he had, he didn't think he had the energy to unseal it again now. "I told you that you shouldn't push yourself too hard!"

"I didn't." He removed the scarf from around his neck and placed it neatly on top of the box. "Though I must say I require more training, especially if something minor like this was able to take such a toll on me."

Absol's gaze lingered on the white box. "Where have you been anyway?"

"I've been to the city."

Upon reaching the room, Lucario plopped onto his bed of hay gratefully. Though he yearned to sleep right away, there was something more pressing that he had to attend to first. He beckoned Absol over to him; the dark-type padded over and sat on the bed next to Lucario.

"While we were at the café earlier, I told you to eavesdrop on Kip alone, remember?"

Absol nodded.

"While you were listening in on Kip's conversation, I was reading Corrine's mind."

"Corrine…" It did not take long for Absol to guess what Lucario was trying to say. He leapt to his feet angrily. "It was _her_?"

"I'm afraid so, Absol," he said gravely. "It wasn't that hard extracting the memory from her – that was where I've been earlier. She was already paranoid after talking with Kip and hearing that the investigation might be reopened. Furthermore, she was agitated after Kip approached her for money. After all, Kip's debt was a major factor as to why she did it."

Absol stared at Lucario, torn between outrage and surprise. He was breathing heavily, and there was a dangerous look on his face. "But what has Kip's debt got to do with her?"

"Ellie had thought up a plan to help Kip settle his debt. She wanted to sell the house and lend Kip the proceeds. You see where the problem is, Absol? The house was originally intended to be sold after Ellie's death, and the money would be split evenly between Corrine and Kip. Corrine feels that if the money was lent to Kip, she would never get her fair share."

"That's no excuse…" Absol sat down again; his anger seemed to have been replaced by depression. "No excuse…"

"Absol… are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"I'm going to show you what happened that night. Right from the beginning."

Absol shook his head quickly. "No. No, Lucario, you need rest."

"Don't be silly. A little memory broadcast isn't going to kill me. Come a little closer."

Reluctantly, the white-furred Pokémon edged nearer to Lucario. The Aura Pokémon closed his eyes, compiling all the memories he had collected regarding the incident. He envisioned Corrine, standing nervously at Ellie's doorstep.

It was only a few hours back when her mother called her.

"_I have decided to go ahead and sell the house. Don't worry – everything will work out fine."_

But it wouldn't! She was making a terrible mistake! And that was why Corrine decided to visit her mother and talk with her face-to-face. She had to make her mother see reason… prevent her from committing this grave error…

Her hand slightly shaking, she pushed the doorbell.

Within the house, Absol looked up. He was about to watch his favourite show… who could it be?

He stared at Ellie, and she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, but maybe you should go up in the attic for a while. I'll try to chase whoever it is away quickly."

Absol nodded and jumped off the sofa, heading straight for his usual hiding spot at the attic. Once he was safely hidden, Ellie walked over to the living room and turned the television off before heading to the front door and opening it.

"Hello, mother." It was not a particularly cold night, but Corrine had a large brown coat on. Though she was wearing a thick pair of gloves, her hands were freezing. She tightened her grip on the handle of the pocket knife she had concealed in her coat pocket. The weapon, she reminded herself, was brought merely to return sense to her mother… not for anything else…

"Oh, it's you!" Ellie said, opening the door wider to let her daughter in. "What are you doing here so late?"

Corrine stepped into the house. "I just want to talk." Ellie held out her hand, offering to take the coat from her, but Corrine shook her head. "I won't be long."

"Should I fetch you a drink?" Ellie said as she closed the door.

"No… I came here to talk about what you told me earlier." Despite feeling extremely nervous, she managed to keep her voice calm and steady. Drawing confidence from that fact, she turned around to face Ellie. "About the house."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Ellie showed no signs of surprise, as though she had known all along the reason for her daughter's visit. "I think I should get you a drink."

"No, mother. Really, it's fine. Let's just…" she pointed at the living room. "Let's just get in here to talk."

"All right."

The scene shifted as Lucario focused his thoughts elsewhere. He was not exactly sure when Kip had started lurking outside of the house, but he figured it might have been around then. And so he imagined Kip crouching among the bushes, ready to break into the house in order to steal…

Lucario felt a sudden spike in emotion radiating from Absol, but there was no way to placate his friend's anger without interrupting the memory broadcast. He could only hope that showing him the cut-and-paste memory was the right thing to do… Absol had to know the truth eventually…

"My mind has been made, and there's no changing it," Ellie said in a gentle but firm voice. "I understand you are upset, but –"

"But you don't have to go to that extent! Selling the house… do you know how much money you're basically tossing down the drain?"

"He is in trouble, and we must make some sacrifices, but Corrine, listen –"

Corrine pulled her coat tighter around herself. "Why must I sacrifice myself for him? It has always been that way – ever since I was young, I've been giving in to him all the time – all the time! He doesn't even appreciate anything I do; he doesn't even care!" She reached deep into her coat pocket and held onto the handle of the knife. For some reason, it seemed to calm her down…

"Listen, Corrine! I know you think you'll lose out in the end," Ellie grabbed both her shoulders, "but you won't! I'll make sure you won't! Of course I'll be taking your welfare into consideration! My savings in the bank; I'll be giving more of it to you now! I've even arranged to meet the lawyer… change the will…"

But Corrine was only half-listening. Dazed and confused, she began to wonder why she was against this idea in the first place. Of course, she did not want to lose what she rightly deserved, but perhaps the money wasn't the issue… Perhaps it was the fact that her mother would go to such lengths to help her son, to the point where it would involve major sacrifices on Corrine's part… Overshadowed…

"Corrine… what is that?" Ellie's voice was now fearful, her eyes fixed on Corrine's coat.

Corrine looked down. She had been clutching onto the knife so tightly, and her hand had been trembling… there was now a small hole in the coat pocket, where the tip of the blade stuck out. Absently, she pulled the knife out and stared at it.

Ellie got up to her feet, raising an accusatory finger at her daughter. "You… you…"

"No, mother… no…"

But Ellie ran out of the room and into the hallway. Corrine got up and gave chase, wanting to explain, the knife still in her hand. But what was there to explain? There was no way her mother would accept it, but she had to try anyway…

Then they were in the bedroom. Ellie tried to lock herself in, but Corrine managed to grab the door before it swung shut. Her mother ran in, screaming. "What are you doing? Stay away! I can't believe it!"

"Mother, please!" Corrine yelled, tears spilling out of her eyes. "It's not what you think!"

Ellie was not listening. She ran to the bedside table where the phone was and began to press frantically on the numbers. Corrine rushed forward and knocked the phone away… there was a brief struggle as Ellie tried to wrestle with Corrine…

Here, Lucario quickly intervened. The whole scene dissolved into darkness, and all noise was blocked out. He maintained this piercing silence for a moment; he could feel exactly what Absol felt now, as though their minds were connected…

The scene slowly reappeared, with Corrine gasping and sobbing as she held the knife tightly, the blood still dripping from its tip. She had not meant to do it. It was an accident. She was innocent. But a horrible thought was forcing its way through her mind… _Now that she's dead, the problem is solved…_

Unable to think straight, Corrine picked up the phone and placed it back on the bedside table. She must not get caught… She must get as far away as possible…

There was a crash. Corrine froze, completely awash with horror. Who was it? Could it be a concerned neighbour, coming in to check on Ellie after hearing her screams? There was no way she could talk her way out of this if the neighbour sees her… And she certainly wasn't going to commit another murder; one was terrible enough.

She quickly pulled the bedspread off the bed and dropped it on top of the corpse; perhaps the neighbour might not spot it, and would leave afterwards. But she still had to hide herself, and she knew just where to go.

The attic.

Rushing through the hallway, she held the tip of the knife with her gloved hand to prevent the blood from dripping all over the house. She tapped on the switch hanging on the wall to lower the attic stairs and cast a quick look backwards. There was no one about, but she definitely did not imagine the crash.

Corrine dashed up the stairs and tapped the switch on the other end, safe at last. If the stranger, whoever it was, decided to climb to the attic, however… She didn't even want to consider this worst-case scenario.

And so two beings were in the attic that night, though they were not aware of each other's presence. There was Absol, hiding in the shadows, afraid of what might be happening in the house; and there was Corrine, fully aware that she was holding on to the murder weapon.

But there was another intruder that night. Kip, with a mask on, had broken the kitchen window, and was now clambering through it. Once he managed to get inside, he walked slowly, not wanting to be spotted by his mother if he could help it. She was probably sleeping, but the crash might have woken her up.

Finding no sign of life, he headed towards the bedroom, and was surprised to see that Ellie was not there. So where was she? He'd better hurry, then, if she was lurking about… he wished there was a better option as opposed to stealing from her, but he could find no alternative. He would repay her…

Meanwhile, Corrine waited anxiously, trying to catch any noises that might be coming from downstairs to ascertain if the stranger was still there. Everything was silent; but by no means was that an indication that it was safe to head out.

However, one thing was certain. It would not do to be caught with the murder weapon in hand. She had to get rid of it, but how? Where could she hide the weapon – where would it remain hidden; a place which only she had access to?

Of course… her safe!

It was a brilliant idea – the knife would remain hidden in the safe while she tried to slip out of the house. If she was discovered, they wouldn't be able to find any evidence that would pin her to the crime.

She rushed over to the table where the four safes stood. After keying in the combination to her own, she quickly tossed the knife inside, as though she could not bear holding onto it a second longer. Corrine then pulled off her blood-stained gloves and chucked those in too – she needn't wear the gloves anymore; it would not be surprising if the police found her prints in this house, after all…

And as she shut the safe door, a wave of relief swept over her. Now that she had succeeded in finding a hiding place for the evidence, the only thing left to do was to get out of the house.

It had been some time now since she heard the crash… if it really had been just a curious neighbour, she would have expected the neighbour to cause a ruckus upon discovery of the body. Perhaps a panicked phone call to the police, or maybe even running out of the house, yelling for help… But no, nothing could be heard at all.

Finally deciding to risk it, she headed to the trapdoor, took a deep breath, and triggered the switch. The stairs creaked as it lowered itself; though it was not exactly loud per se, she wished it would have been more silent.

She climbed down slowly, gazing around to ensure that she was truly alone in the house. It certainly seemed that way – there were no signs at all that someone else had entered. Once she was downstairs, she pressed the switch again; it wouldn't do to leave the stairs like that, or the police might suspect that the murderer had been to the attic…

She took a few cautious steps forwards, glancing around the rooms as she did so. So far, so good… As she approached her mother's bedroom – the place where she killed her mother – she willed herself to look in.

It was extremely fortunate for her that she managed to refrain from gasping. A man was inside, and though she did not realise it at that time, his face was concealed by a mask. He was standing where Ellie's body was, the bedspread on his hand. No doubt he had discovered the body.

There was no other alternative – she had to make a run for it. The stranger's identity was unknown to her, but since he had discovered the body, he would probably call the police. Panicking, she rushed down the hallway to the front door. She swung it open and stepped into the cool night air, where freedom awaited her. Before she knew what she was doing, she had slammed the door shut again with a loud bang.

What a great way to alert everyone to her presence. Thankfully though, the street was bare. Without waiting any longer, she dashed off, eager to get as far away as possible from the scene of the crime. It was fortunate that her house was just nearby… she could easily pretend that she had been inside all along…

Kip, however, was left in a similar panicked state after hearing the front door slam. Absol, too, had heard it, and was wondering whether the slam meant that the intruder had left… At this point, the Disaster Pokémon was thinking of going down to check on Ellie…

To the sergeant, however, the sound suggested that someone else had entered the house. Therefore, he had to hide himself quickly. He was in a bad position after all, what with the sack of stolen items in his possession, as well as a corpse in the bedroom…

And he, like his sister, deduced that the attic was the best hiding place of all. And so, for the second time that night, someone rushed up to the attic while Absol hid in the darkness.

The Disaster Pokémon believed that it was the same person both times, but it turned out otherwise. Corrine was the first intruder, Kip was the second. And both were guilty.

Kip waited for some time, trying to determine if it was safe to head back down. Like his sister, however, he had with him an incriminating piece of evidence which he needed to dispose of as soon as possible. And of course, the same idea occurred to him.

He decided to hide the stolen valuables in his safe.

And so, with the items safely stashed away, he exited the attic and got out of the house as fast as he could, leaving Absol to curse his own lack of courage for not being able to stick his head out to identify the unwanted guest. It was after a while before Absol finally left, only to discover for himself what had transpired as he remained in the attic. He may not have seen, but he had heard – the silent, unsuspecting witness to both crimes.

That night, unbeknownst to the two guilty parties, someone was listening after all.

So that was the truth behind the Silver Lane murder case. Now that he had shown Absol everything he discovered, Lucario quickly stopped emanating his thoughts and opened his eyes to see how his friend would react to the revelation.

Absol was shivering slightly, his eyes fixed on the ground. There was a whirlwind of emotions rampaging through his mind. Anger, sorrow, regret… it was hard to tell which particular emotion was more dominant.

"Absol?" Lucario said tentatively, edging a little closer. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he replied, though his voice was shaky.

"Did you understand it? My broadcast?"

"Yeah, I understood it."

When Absol did not continue speaking, Lucario sighed. "Corrine was in a state of great panic after she managed to get home. Someone had discovered the body, and she was sure the police would be notified immediately. She did not know that it was Kip, and that he had no intention to call the cops yet.

"She originally intended to slip into the house the next day to get rid of the evidence in her safe, but since the body was discovered, she changed her mind. She went into a neighbouring city instead, figuring that it would prevent people from suspecting her if she was far away. However, she was constantly worrying that the police would ask her to open the safe…"

Lucario went on. "And Kip, having successfully stolen a fair amount of items from Ellie, had hid the items in his own safe after hearing Corrine slam the door on her way out. He, too, planned to retrieve the items the next day, and then pretend to discover the body for the first time. However, he bumped into David, and both of them went in together."

Absol gave a small sniff. "Ellie… Ellie's surrounded by a bunch of fools!" He jumped up and walked a few steps towards the path leading to the cave's exit, but stopped suddenly. "And… and I'm one of them!" he yelled, clearly struggling to fight back tears.

"Absol…"

"There were so many things I could've done to prevent this – too many! I shouldn't have remained hidden… I should have stayed by Ellie's side! And, and, I shouldn't have been selfish – I didn't want to reveal myself to her family at all! If I did… if I did…"

"Absol, it was not your fault… there is no point in blaming yourself for something not within your control…"

"You don't understand, Luc." Absol turned around, a pained expression on his face. "A few days before she was murdered, Ellie asked me… She wanted to know if I was willing to let her introduce me to her family and friends, instead of having to hide every time someone comes over. She told me that they would accept me without any problems; Corrine wouldn't really care, and Kip just loves Pokémon, so…

"I wasn't too keen on the idea, and she could tell, so she did not say anymore on the matter. You see, Lucario? If I agreed, she wouldn't have been killed! They wouldn't be so willing to commit all those crimes if they knew there was a Pokémon in the house, would they?"

"Absol, it was not your fault!" Lucario repeated, a little louder this time. "You did not know that this was going to happen! And who is to say that Corrine wouldn't have gone on with her plans anyway? She could easily have requested to chat with Ellie privately, or perhaps wait until you were asleep…"

Absol shook his head morosely; a few tears dripped onto the cave floor. "Thank you, Lucario, but this is the second death I'm responsible for. I… I'm a horrible companion. I shouldn't have stayed with Ellie."

"That's not true," Lucario said gently. "You know it's not. You were more than just a companion, Absol; you were a part of her family."

Absol snorted disbelievingly.

"Have you ever thought why Ellie wanted you to reveal yourself to Kip and Corrine? It was a few days before the murder, correct? She had already decided to sell the house then. She planned to live with Kip, did you know that?"

Absol stared at Lucario, looking as though he hardly dared believe what Lucario was saying. Wise Pokémon as he was, he had probably guessed where Lucario was going with this line of conversation.

"That's right, Absol. She planned to live there, and she had no intention whatsoever to leave you behind. You were a very important part of her life, Absol… and anyone who had known you would say that you are a wonderful friend. Ask Umbreon – ask Celia!" Lucario got up and placed a paw on Absol's back. "Ask me."

Remembering the item he had retrieved earlier, Lucario reached out for the small, white box and handed it to Absol. "Remember Ellie's will, Absol? She left you this box, so I went and got it for you."

Absol stared at the box in stunned disbelief. "But… but wasn't it locked in Ellie's safe? How did you get it?"

"I saw the combination on the document when I was diving into David's mind earlier," said Lucario, shrugging. "I thought it might be important, so I memorised it. So, after I retrieved the memory from Corrine tonight, I stopped by your old home to get the box for you, seeing as tonight was the last chance for me to do so."

"Last chance…" Absol repeated softly, his gaze dropping onto the box. He placed his paw on top of it gently, as though afraid it would break upon the slightest bit of pressure.

"I certainly couldn't leave it till tomorrow, because I'm not sure if there'll be cops guarding the house in the day. And I have plans for the night." Seeing that Absol wasn't really listening to him, but staring transfixed at the box instead, Lucario smiled. "You see, Absol? I do not know why you are so insistent that you bring harm to those around you, but clearly this proves my point. You are appreciated, Absol! It's important that you see that!"

Letting out another sniff, Absol wiped away the tears that were now streaming down his face. "I – I'm sorry," he choked, turning his head away from Lucario, "I… I want to go outside for a while…"

He padded off towards the exit, swaying a little as he did so, apparently determined to not let Lucario see him in this depressed state. Lucario could understand; perhaps it was best if Absol was left alone for a while. The fresh, night air might do him good.

Seeing that Absol had left the box behind, Lucario picked it up and placed it on top of Absol's hay bed before slumping down onto his own. It had been extremely tough on Absol, but hopefully, the nightmare would be over soon. And after that, Lucario would do his very best to guide Absol down the road to recovery.

He should wait for Absol to come back, certainly… but his eyelids were drooping… the air blowing in from the cave's openings were so soothing…

**:::::::::::::::::::**

_Absol – I have always known that something was eating at him. Known as the Disaster Pokémon, the Absol species have been feared by humans and Pokémon alike. The prejudice has been on the decline somewhat, especially after notable trainers began to include an Absol or two in their team lineups. But still, for others, the prejudice lives on._

Unlike the usual morning sunlight which would rouse the Aura Pokémon from slumber by shining directly onto his eyelids, Lucario awoke the next day to the orange hue of the evening sun. Appalled that he had slept the day away, he leapt up and scanned the cave for signs of Absol.

"You're awake!" said Absol's voice.

Lucario turned around and saw Absol emerging from the deeper section of the cave. The Disaster Pokémon looked positively cheerful, as though the previous night hadn't happened at all; but it might just have been a façade.

"Good mor– well, good evening, really. How're you feeling?"

"Fine," Lucario replied, which was not too far from the truth. Though still a little groggy, the migraine he had the day before had subsided. Perhaps rest was indeed what he needed after all. "But Absol… I overslept! There are a lot of things we need to do before midnight! We have to hurry!"

"No," Absol said, and there was such determination in his eyes that Lucario knew there was no dissuading him this time. "You just woke up – sit down and have something to eat first."

_But my friend, Absol, is different. As he has now gone through two great losses, he believes that he does bring bad luck to those he hangs out with. I remember when I first suggested that he stay with me… he said that he'll be the "cursed ornament" of my home… I thought he was joking, but evidently I was mistaken._

As they sat on the cave floor while devouring their meal consisting of bread from Celia's bakery – which Absol had not finished yesterday – Lucario kept a close eye on Absol. The cheeriness his friend displayed earlier had dissipated; Absol was now eating his portion solemnly, clearly mulling over something.

"Luc… can I ask a few questions?" Absol said suddenly.

"Sure, Absol. Go ahead."

"How did you know it was Corrine? I mean… did you just decide to check out her thoughts, and got to the truth by chance?

"Something like that, yes." Lucario lowered his half-eaten bun. "My first excursion into her mind was at the café. It was then that I realised she could have been the murderer after all."

"What do you mean?" Absol enquired.

"She saw something she shouldn't have seen. Do you recall Kip's thoughts at the police station, Absol? More particularly, the bit about what happened after the discovery of the body?"

"Yeah," Absol replied. "He went in with the lawyer, and together, they discovered the body." An ugly scowl spread across his face. "But of course, Kip had already known about it the night before…"

"Oh, no," Lucario said hastily, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I should have been more precise. I was referring to Kip's memory regarding the first time Corrine had seen the body… or at least, the first time he _thought _she saw the body."

Absol paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Er… it was at the hospital, wasn't it? Yeah…"

"That is correct. Quite a show she put up too, tearing up and demanding that Kip find the culprit. At the café, however, after the argument with Kip, her mind drifted to the crime scene. And she pictured it, Absol. So vividly. The body, in the bedroom.

"At first, I thought it was just an image of what she thought it must have looked like, but no. It was just too real, as though she herself had been there that night. You see, Absol, it is not too hard to discern between one's imagination and what one has seen with their own eyes. With that in mind, I went by her place after dropping you here in the cave."

Absol gaped at Lucario, seemingly awestruck. "But how did you know where she lived?"

"I did not know her address, but I found out – when we were at the café – that her house was near Ellie's place. I also saw some images of her home in her mind, so I had a rough idea of where to look." The memory of him searching exhaustively through the streets for Corrine's house made Lucario inwardly glad that it was all over now. "I was lucky – she was at home at that time. Once I managed to pick up her presence, I just followed her aura."

"Wow… Luc, to do all that…" Absol walked over to Lucario's side, ignoring his unfinished pieces of bread, which lay on the ground. "It must have been tough on you. I'm sorry."

"Absol, please," Lucario chuckled, "you do not have to apologise endlessly. You are beginning to sound like a broken radio."

The idiom apparently did not translate, for Absol was staring at Lucario in confusion. "Broken radio? Do you mean a broken record?"

"I don't know – I can't remember. Why? What's the difference?"

"Never mind," Absol said, smiling. "The fact is, I've been causing trouble for you since the day I moved in. As a token of appreciation… wait for me, I won't be long."

Absol padded off towards the deeper section of the cave, leaving Lucario to wonder what the white-furred Pokémon could possibly be up to.

_It will probably be hard to change his perception of himself. I'm not too sure what I can do to help, but I'm going to try anyway. Absol and I, we are alike. He clearly feels that he has no place in this world, something which I've often felt when I was a homeless Riolu. Our future remains uncertain. But still, we are here, aren't we?_

"This was one of the items Ellie left me in the box." Absol pushed the miniscule object towards Lucario, who picked it up and examined it carefully. "There were two of them; I'm giving you this one."

"This is…"

The object was something Lucario had seen before. A beautifully-crafted hourglass, with particles of sand within both the upper and lower sections. Instead of sliding downwards, the sand was floating idly in what seemed like water. Lucario shook the hourglass gently, sending the sand dancing around merrily.

"Frozen time," Lucario murmured, remembering the phrase Absol had used to describe it when he first saw the contraption in the painting which was hanging near the attic trapdoor. "Amazing…"

"You remembered!" Absol said in surprise, circling once around the floor before sitting down. "Yeah… Ellie loved that painting. I didn't know she had miniature models of the hourglass, and the fact that she bequeathed it to me… it means a lot."

"Absol, I can't," Lucario insisted, pushing the hourglass back to him. "It belongs to both Ellie and you."

Absol pushed it back. "Nonsense. You take it. It'll be something to remind you of me when I'm gone."

"When you're –" Lucario tore his gaze away from the hourglass and fixed it upon Absol. "Wait, what?"

The white-furred Pokémon sighed heavily, averting his eyes as he always did when he was uneasy. "I'm leaving, Luc. I told you – I'm only staying behind for one reason, and that is to avenge Ellie. Now that I know who the killer is, I'll just tell a Growlithe or something, and he can try to communicate that to the police. Once they're caught, I'm off."

"And where will you go, Absol?"

"Oh, I dunno… I'll just explore around, I suppose. But I will never forget you, Luc."

"Absol…" Lucario said; Absol turned to him reluctantly. "Do you really wish to leave?"

"I…" Absol looked downwards. "Yes."

"That was a lie," Lucario said firmly. "Don't tell me that you still believe you're going to bring me bad luck… Because if that is the true reason behind your desire to leave, then I refuse to accept it. We've been through this before, Absol."

Absol stood up. "Lucario… twice, I've lost someone close to me, when I could have prevented it. I don't want it to happen a third time."

"It won't," Lucario assured, standing up too. He walked over to the crates where Xatu used to store his possessions. "If you truly wish to leave, I cannot stop you, but I wish it would be for a better reason than that." Rummaging through the crate, he found what he was looking for: a small, dusty box.

Blowing the dust off, Lucario opened it and withdrew a round, silver object shaped like a CD. He stared at it fondly for a moment, recalling the time long ago when he had first seen one. "Ages ago… there existed a Riolu without any purpose in life."

Lucario turned around to face Absol with the item in his paws. "That Riolu wandered around the forest aimlessly, dejected, wondering why he was not like other Pokémon who had families and friends to be with. But he found it, Absol. He found a home, and a loved one in the form of a Xatu."

He stretched out his arms, handing the object to Absol, who eyed it in amazement. "The Xatu soon passed away… but the Riolu, now a Lucario, found a number of friends. Among them was an Absol. Here you go, Absol. I, like Ellie, consider you to be family, and this is something I want you to have."

"This is a… TM?" Absol shook his head. "I really appreciate it, but I can't accept this, Lucario…"

"Ha!" Lucario laughed cheerfully. "Nonsense! You take it. Do you know which Technical Machine this is, Absol?"

Absol shook his head again.

"It enables you to enter and exit the cave freely without having to wait for me to unseal the entrance for you."

Absol's eyes widened as he gaped at Lucario. "You can't be serious… you're – you're giving me the TM for Secret Power? But Lucario… I can't…"

"Why not? This will always be a place you can return to, Absol, if you really intend to leave. And if not, all the better." He placed the TM on the ground in front of Absol. "I, of course, would prefer if you choose to stay. I really do, Absol. It will be tremendously lonely without you."

Absol looked from the TM to Lucario, his eyes watering again. A small smile broke upon his face as he placed a paw on the Technical Machine. "I would be lonely too… and I certainly don't wish to experience loneliness again…" He looked up at Lucario tentatively. "All right… I'll stay, if you really don't mind me doing so?"

Upon hearing the sentence, Lucario bounded forward and pulled Absol into a hug, careful not to injure Absol with the spike on his chest. "This is your home as much as it is mine, Absol."

_Happier days will come, hopefully, and we'll live to the fullest. Is that not how it's supposed to be? After all, we have the right to exist. We have the right to pursue happiness, each and every one of us. Unfortunately, not everyone does. _

Wasting no time, Lucario insisted that they leave before night came around. Having followed Kip the day before, Absol led Lucario to the sergeant's home. Unfortunately, he was not at home, and Lucario recalled too late that Kip would be at the police station in the evening.

"But how did you know that?" Absol asked, panting slightly as they dashed off.

"He was thinking about today's schedule," Lucario explained, adjusting the scarf wrapped around his neck. "He would look out for buyers in the morning, and then retrieve the items at midnight after working at the station."

Sure enough, Lucario could detect the sergeant's presence in the station, though he was not doing much work at all. Rather, he was preparing himself mentally for the task he would set out to perform later. He had checked – no one would be guarding the house that night. That, coupled with the fact that he had made an arrangement to sell the gold the very next day, came as a huge relief to him.

Midnight would perhaps be too risky – a little later, perhaps… maybe two. Yes, two would be the perfect time. He could then set off to the neighbouring city, where he would meet the buyer and get rid of the critical evidence which tied him to the crime.

He was free.

"Not if I can help it," Lucario said happily, taking out the pen and paper he had brought with him. He quickly scribbled a note in English: '_The two criminals behind the Silver Lane Murder will be heading back to the crime scene to retrieve the evidence they hid in the safes up at the attic at 2AM tonight. Do NOT alert Sergeant Kip.'_

"Great." The Aura Pokémon placed the pen down and checked the note for errors. "Right. Now all we have to do is pass it to one of the police officers."

Absol eyed the scrap of paper sceptically. "Lucario, do you think they will take this note seriously?"

"Well… you have a point there." He poked his head out of the bush they were hiding in and looked around the police station. A Growlithe was loitering around the entrance, looking bored. "We could pass it to one of their Pokémon and try to explain, I guess…"

Before Absol could protest, Lucario stood up straight, causing the bush to rustle noisily as he did so. As though that alone was not enough to capture the Growlithe's attention, Lucario began to wave his arms around wildly. "Excuse me! Can you please come here for a moment?"

He felt himself being pulled back into the bush by Absol.

"Luc, are you sure about this? What if they turn us in for questioning?"

"Oh…" Lucario scratched his head sheepishly – the thought had not occurred to him. "It's too late for regrets now… What the –"

Someone had poked his nose into the bush. Instead of the Growlithe he had spotted earlier, it was a large and intimidating Arcanine. For a moment, Lucario actually thought the Growlithe had evolved on his way to the bush, but he soon spotted the little fire-type Pokémon standing behind the Arcanine.

"My comrade here says there be a weirdo in the bush," he said gruffly, looking from Lucario to Absol. "I see that there be two of 'em."

"I'm not a weirdo, sir," Lucario said hastily. He held out the note to the Arcanine. "Actually, I am here to provide information on a certain case the police are investigating."

The Arcanine grunted. "And what case would that be? If you truly have information, why are you hiding in the bush?" With his teeth, he took the note off Lucario's paw and placed it on the ground. After surveying it for a moment, he looked up again. "And how do you know about this? And why must the sergeant not be told?"

Lucario's surprise at this statement quickly turned to excitement. "You can read?"

"We be a group of highly trained Pokémon." There was a smile on the Arcanine's face, and Lucario felt a surge of pride emitting from the canine. "There be little we cannot do. Now, who gave you this here note?"

"I wrote it."

It was the Arcanine's turn to look surprised. "You can write?"

Lucario nodded. "My father taught me."

"Prove it."

Lucario picked the pen up and wrote on the corner, '_I can write._'

"Not bad, not bad," Arcanine said approvingly, his eyes on the note. "Well, you still have not told me how you know the criminal will be there tonight. And who be you both anyway?"

Behind Lucario, Absol shifted uncomfortably. The Arcanine was staring straight at Absol now, as though expecting the dark-type to answer his question. Lucario quickly stepped in, "We are friends of the victim in the murder case. We were not satisfied with how the investigation was handled, so we did a little bit of prying ourselves. I'm afraid I cannot reveal all the details, but please trust us on this."

"So… why can't we tell the sergeant, then?"

"He… is kind of involved in the crime…"

"Oh." The Arcanine turned to his Growlithe companion and began to converse in hushed whispers. At last, he turned back to Lucario again. "If what you say be true, we are not surprised. The sergeant be behaving strangely lately, and the superintendent notices it."

"Yes. The sergeant has got himself tangled in something sinister."

"Right." The Arcanine raised a paw and saluted; the Growlithe doing the same hastily. "You don't seem to be a bad Pokémon, at the very least. For now, I be trusting you. But do take note: if you be lying, we be putting your face on the wanted posters and sticking them all around town."

"Ah…" Lucario laughed meekly. "Okay. Thank you very much, Arcanine-sir. And you, Growlithe-sir."

The Growlithe startled, perhaps not used to being addressed politely. Either way, the little fire-type smiled and nodded.

"I'll be taking this note in then," the Arcanine said.

"Hold on, please." Lucario tore the corner where he wrote '_I can write_' off. "They shouldn't see this; they'll think it's a joke."

"Oh… about the note…" Absol said, speaking for the first time since the Arcanine appeared. "Are you sure the police will take it seriously?" Perhaps he felt that he sounded as though he was doubting the Arcanine's authority, for he added quickly, "I mean, this is very important to me…"

"You do not need to worry." The Arcanine puffed out his chest. "The police will investigate, and the police will nab them criminals. As the superintendent's personal Pokémon, you have my word."

Laughing at the stunned expressions on the faces of Lucario and Absol, the Arcanine picked the note up with his teeth and set off towards the police station, with the little Growlithe following closely behind like an obedient shadow.

"I think we can trust him to get the job done." Lucario turned around to Absol happily. Seeing that Absol was still shaken up by the encounter, Lucario laughed lightheartedly. "We're almost done, Absol. Just a little more."

"A little more?"

"Yep. Kip's headed to his downfall, but he's not going alone."

"You mean…"

"Yes. It is time I manipulate Corrine's mind again, only this time, I'm not doing it to gather memories. She is already paranoid, filled with thoughts of eliminating the evidence. Two o'clock tonight…" He smirked. "Should be quite a scene."

_Kip and Corrine, children of Ellie. Kip has a gambling problem, giving in to temptations, biting off more than he could swallow. Or was it 'chew'? I cannot remember. Anyway, his addiction consumed him, and he incurred a heavy debt. That was the cause of all these problems._

_Ellie was kind. She was willing to help Kip settle his debt, even going so far as to sell the house. Unfortunately, Corrine did not like the idea at all. It is hard to tell… Corrine may never have intended to kill her own mother. But she _did _bring the knife over. Even if her mind told her that it was only to threaten Ellie, was it really the truth?_

_Maybe it's like Eevee's case. Eevee seems to think that she was hesitant to leave Greg because she felt guilty, but there may be another reason hidden in her subconscious which she herself does not __realise__. _

_So, was the murder premeditated? Perhaps I will never know. _

_One thing is for sure though. Corrine seems to be jealous of the attention Ellie was giving Kip. Did she really kill Ellie because of the house? Was it greed… or something else? Another question which might never be answered._

That night, once again, Kip found himself sneaking into the house, though he entered through the front door this time using the spare key hidden under the pot. He lowered the attic's trapdoor and went up quietly, even though there was no one in the house. He was operating on a strict schedule here; he had already booked a cab to fetch him to the next city about half an hour later.

As he was not planning to stay long, he left the stairs as it was while he walked over to his safe, with a bag in hand.

And Corrine soon came along, dazed and confused. Worry was reducing her usually composed self to a nervous wreck. For some inexplicable reason, she felt compelled to retrieve the evidence from her safe at exactly two o'clock. She glanced down at her watch: two minutes to go.

Standing in front of the door, she was surprised to find that it was unlocked. Perhaps the police had not thought it necessary to lock it after their investigation. Still, it would make her job easier. For a second, she was worried that she had to climb in through the broken kitchen window.

The watch beeped twice. It was time.

Corrine stepped in, not even once considering the possibility of there being someone else within the house. She walked down the hallway, without even glancing at the bedroom where her mother was killed.

The attic staircase was down, but she thought nothing of it. She ascended the stairs, her mind strangely blank.

She realised too late that there was someone there, and she was not as lucky this time. She gasped out loud.

The figure turned around, looking just as shocked as she was. Corrine gasped again – or was it a shout? – when she saw that it was Kip, shoving a pile of items from his safe into a bag. Even though it was quite dark, she could see the objects gleaming…

And the answer came to her at last. On the day Ellie was murdered, she had seen a stranger in the bedroom over her mother's body. It was only after she heard that her mother's jewellery was stolen did she realise that the stranger was a burglar, and not just some concerned neighbour. And now, she knew the burglar's identity.

She walked a little closer. "Kip… _you _were the burglar I'd seen that night!"

The words had spewed out from her mouth before she could stop herself. Kip stared at her in utter disbelief.

"That night… meaning that you were here? But that means you – no… I don't believe it… I can't believe it was you! You murdered mom!"

"Oh, shut up!" she yelled, looking absolutely hysterical. "It's all your fault! Because of your stupid debt, mother wanted to sell the house! She would have lost it all; I had to stop her from making the mistake… And I was right, aren't I?" She sneered, pointing at the bag Kip was holding. "I knew you could not be trusted!"

"You shut up, Corrine!" Kip continued shoving all the jewellery and other valuables into his bag, shooting Corrine a dark look. "I admit I'm in the wrong here, but I would never have killed anyone!"

"Arrest me, then! Arrest me, and I will testify in court about everything I know about this case… and that includes what I have seen tonight!"

"Don't be silly." He straightened up and closed the door to his safe. "Look… what's done is done. I'll keep quiet if you do." He glanced down at his own watch. "I am running late – I need to go. But… why are you here anyway?"

Her eyes turned to the safe besides Kip's. The sergeant followed her gaze, and seemed to deduce the truth from it.

"Don't tell me… the murder weapon?"

She nodded, her eyes still on the safe.

"Then hurry up!" he barked, as though giving orders to a police officer. "The sooner we get out of here, the better!"

Corrine nodded again, rushing over to her safe. She keyed in her combination and swung the door open, picking up the gloves and knife she hid inside. Kip eyed the weapon with a look of deep disgust.

"Okay, we're done here. Let this be our secret, Corrine. Not a word to anyone."

She looked up at him, and he smiled. "It is over now," he said soothingly. It was as though they were young again and he was playing his role as the older brother, comforting Corrine when she was down, assuring her that everything would be all right.

But it was not meant to be.

A figure stepped out from the shadows behind them, having been hidden from view by the clutter of the attic. He coughed, and both Kip and Corrine turned towards him simultaneously.

"Over?" said John Fedrow, the superintendent, petting the head of the Arcanine which had surfaced from his hiding place. "Far from it, my friends. Far from it."

**:::::::::::::::::::**

What with the tightened security around the house, Lucario figured it was best to leave now. He looked at Absol. The white-furred Pokémon had his eyes open as he stared at the house wistfully. His long mission was finally over, and yet, the melancholy and bitterness lingered. Ellie was forever gone.

"Absol… it is time to leave."

Absol bowed his head silently before standing up. He took a few steps forward towards the forest, but stopped to take another look at the house, where all the memories remained. At last, with evidently a lot of effort, he turned away from his past and followed Lucario as they trudged through the forest back to the cave, towards the future.

_The hourglass – a symbol of eternity. In the hourglass I have received from Absol, which I now keep in my aura box, time is suspended. The sands float about instead of falling downwards. They say some things last forever – I agree completely. Do feelings fade as we move towards the future? Do memories? I do not think so. They'll stand the test of time, just like the friendship between Ellie and Absol._

_Of this I'm sure. Our surroundings may change drastically, but certain things shall remain like the hourglass: eternal and infinite._

**:::::::::::::::::::**

It was a breezy afternoon; the blades of grass were all swaying in one direction as the wind blew them about, as though taunting their helplessness. All in all, the weather was nice, a perfect day to be out and about. However, the graveyard was quite deserted, with only an Absol kneeling in front of a gravestone at the corner, while his Lucario friend stood behind, head bowed in silence.

Absol laid a single white flower down and glanced around at the sound of rustling grass behind him. An old lady with a bouquet of flowers was approaching slowly with her Umbreon. At the sight of Absol, the Umbreon scampered forward, nuzzling the Disaster Pokémon's side.

Lucario bowed to Celia, who smiled in return. She walked forward and placed the bouquet in front of the gravestone, next to the flower Absol had brought.

There came the sound of someone approaching again, and they all turned to the source of the noise. It was David, the lawyer, and his Raichu. He looked round at them in surprise, clearly not expecting such a crowd. His gaze lingered on Absol for a moment before Celia walked up to greet him. Raichu leapt off David's shoulders and stood in the shadow of a particularly large tombstone.

Lucario took a step forward, patting Absol on the back. His friend had finally reached the end of a long nightmare, successfully finding the closure he needed. Absol had lost a great deal along the way, but that was no reason to fear what the future had in store.

The sun was shining; the wind was blowing. It was time to head towards tomorrow.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Next time, on I Am Lucario…

"_I don't want to live like this anymore… my identity itself is one big lie!"_

_Announcement_

So far, this story has been categorised under Lucario/Absol, and General/Drama. From next chapter onwards, it will be categorised under Lucario/Eevee and General/Friendship. Absol will still be a main character, but the next phase explores more on Eevee's story.

_**Edit**_

I've fixed a sentence above – the part where Absol was saying he wanted to leave. The previous sentence was ambiguous, I apologise. Absol does indeed decide to stay in the end.

I will try to get Chapter 11 up within a month.

Oh, and don't worry, I doubt it will be as long as this one (the word count, I mean).


	11. Life in Polyrhythm

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon.

Hello, everyone. I was wrong; this chapter turned out to be just about as long as the previous one. Yep, this is another **triple-length chapter**. I hope that would make up for the delay.

As mentioned before, this story is now under General/Friendship and Lucario/Eevee. I'll switch back to Lucario/Absol eventually. I notice that the Eevee chapters are generally less popular compared to the others; perhaps I have made her too unlikable? If you have any comments or suggestions for the Evolution Pokémon, feel free to leave it in a review!

Speaking of reviews, we're almost at the 100 mark! The previous chapter was the most-reviewed yet (and it also received the most votes in my poll, followed by Existence). Thank you very much, everyone. And thank you to those who added this to their favourites / alerts as well. It seriously means a lot to me.

By the way, Absol does decide to stay with Lucario. I've fixed the ambiguous sentence; I apologise for any confusion caused.

All right – on to the chapter. Like before, since it's longer than my usual chapters, you might want to read it bit by bit lest it gets too boring.

In response to** Ri2**; thank you very much! Indeed, under normal circumstances, the mess would have been cleaned up, but Kip decided to leave everything as it were – a decision which certainly raised some eyebrows. Incidentally, I'm sorry for the ambiguity in Chapter 10! As mentioned above, Absol decided to continue staying in the cave.

In response to **Anonymous1**; thank you very much! I'm a slow writer. XD This chapter marks the beginning of phase two, which explores more on Eevee's story. I hope I don't disappoint!

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

The young girl glanced around at the many people and Pokémon that had gathered to hear her speak. Used as she was to making public appearances, she was still bewildered at the reception she received today. Surely they wouldn't be _this _interested in her?

On the chair to her right sat a Skitty with a bright purple ribbon tied to her tail. The pink Pokémon was licking her paws while occasionally beaming and waving at the crowd, posing as a few people tried to snap some photos with their fancy cameras. Well, at least someone was enjoying herself.

"Miss Kaori! Miss Kaori! Over here, please!"

The girl turned towards the photographer who had yelled for her attention. The man was at the far corner, waving at her enthusiastically while holding up his camera. She put on her well-practised plastic smile for him, doing her best not to flinch as several cameras began flashing at once. The press conference had yet to start, and already she wanted to leave.

A man in a suit came up to the stage and grabbed a microphone from the desk. Everyone quietened at once, with the exception of a couple of Bidoof who were chasing each other merrily, clearly not caring at all for the conference. The man shot the two Pokémon a look of annoyance before speaking.

"Everyone, thank you for coming today. Without further ado, let us begin. If you have any questions for Kaori, you may ask them now…"

The man had barely finished speaking when a few reporters began to stand with their hands raised, each of them trying to look taller than their neighbours so as to have their questions answered first. He was not disoriented though; in fact, he looked positively happy. He glanced around them appraisingly for a moment – as though trying to pick out the most influential reporter – before pointing at a woman sitting in the front row.

The woman stood up. "Miss Kaori, how do you feel about playing the lead role in '_Ocean of Time_'? Can you tell us what it has been like?"

Kaori flashed a big smile once more, remembering that she was supposed to act as cute as possible. "It's a wonderful opportunity – I'm so honoured to be a part of the movie. Everyone has been so nice and patient, even though I kept making mistakes." The audience tittered; some even clapped their hands. "Thank you very much, Solar Studios, for giving me and Skitty the chance to do so!"

There was a smattering of applause, followed by a sudden rush as the other reporters began fighting for the chance to present their questions again. At last, the man on the stage had to intervene, choosing another reporter.

"Would you say that Skitty is the best friend you could ever dream of having?"

Several people in the audience scoffed, shaking their heads at what they deemed was a foolish question. Kaori, however, hesitated as she turned to look at the Skitty next to her. The Pokémon was beaming, letting out a soft purr. No doubt the answer was clear to the audience, but should she choose what was obvious, or what was honest?

"Yes." Realising that she sounded grave as she said that, she coughed and said again, more cheerfully this time, "Yes, of course!"

And she pulled Skitty into a hug. That was the cue for members of the audience to quickly pull out their cameras once more in order to capture the heart-warming moment.

Kaori broke the hug abruptly and turned to face the audience again. The reporters on the front saw their opportunity, and began raising their hands. The man with the microphone came forward once more, but Kaori shook her head, mouthing to him, "It's fine."

Sighing inwardly, she pointed at a random reporter. To her dismay, it was another question about her Pokémon partner.

"Can you tell us how and when you first met Skitty?"

She paused again, her smile faltering slightly. "Well… I remember it clearly. I was only four at that time. I woke up on my birthday, and there was an egg, waiting for me." Her smile returned; a genuine one this time. It was, after all, easier to talk about an event that truly brought joy to her, even if it was slightly different from what the reporter asked…

"I was overjoyed… To have a Pokémon that will play with me, stick by my side… comfort me when I'm down… Really, it was a dream come true." She leaned forward on the table. "It hatched some time later – she looked so cute then! Her grey and white fur was so soft, and her tail was so curly…" Several people looked confused, but she did not notice. "I remember I used to play with her tail. It was like a giant spring…"

Skitty began prodding her arm. Kaori looked round at her, and the memory in her head imploded. "Did – did I say…" She laughed nervously. "I was so caught in reminiscence that I've made a few mistakes! I meant her tail was like a giant _string_, so long and… uh…"

Kaori cast another hurried glance at Skitty, scrambling for a word she could use. "Long and nice. And I meant pink fur, of course! I don't know how I could have messed that up!"

As the audience laughed, a young woman with wavy, brown hair stood up. "Miss Kaori, you are only nine, no? And yet you are no stranger to the television and music business. Now that you have completed your first movie, do you plan on venturing further into this industry?"

"Well… sure, I find the experience fun and beneficial, after all!"

The woman nodded and smiled. "For someone so young, you are really mature!"

"Thank you!"

Kaori smiled again, sinking backwards on her chair. _I'm not mature… I'm just tired._

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Eleven: Life in Polyrhythm**

"_The smallest star may just go on to shine the brightest."_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"Ha, they like you, Absol! They really do!" Lucario stood back and laughed, watching as a couple of young boys began ruffling and tugging at his roommate's fur. "Looks like you made some new friends!"

"Gah! But I don't like them!" Absol gritted his teeth, wincing as one of the boys gave a particularly large pull. "Sometimes, I find myself wishing that people would believe in the whole Disaster Pokémon thing! Aren't they afraid I would eat them? Where are their parents?"

Lucario looked around. "Their mother is over there, buying their lunch."

The cafeteria was packed with people and Pokémon alike. After the press conference had ended, many of them decided to have their lunch in the cafeteria, which was in the same building where the conference was held. Most of the tables were occupied, but Lucario was lucky enough to find one for him and Absol. Unfortunately for the white-furred Pokémon, he was spotted by a pair of Absol-enthusiasts.

"Well, Absol, I think I should go buy our lunch too. Don't move, okay? Don't let anyone steal our table."

"You're kidding right?" Absol said incredulously. Lucario looked at him and laughed; the boys had started climbing onto the Disaster Pokémon's back. "I couldn't even if I wanted to!"

"I'll be back soon. Hang in there."

"Hang in there…" Absol repeated dully. One of the boys had managed to wrap his leg around Absol's neck to secure his position, while the other was slipping down Absol's back as he desperately tried to pull himself up on the Pokémon again. "Are you talking to me, or the boys?"

Lucario laughed again as he strode off to check out the stalls. A few months have passed since the closure of the Silver Lane murder case, and Absol was doing very well. True, he was silent like usual when he was with others, but he had a more positive outlook towards life in general. And he had reverted to being cheerful around Lucario, much like in the past when the Aura Pokémon first met him.

Looking around, most of the stalls had a long line of people queuing in front of them. The press conference certainly brought good business to the cafeteria. However, as it was his first time in the building, he had no idea which stall provided the best food. At last, he joined the queue to what looked to be the dessert shop. It was probably a poor choice for lunch, but the colourful pictures of desserts displayed on the signs propped around the store caught Lucario's interest.

"Here you go, Absol," Lucario said, returning to the table a short while later with two plates of ice-cream. "Where are your new friends?"

"Their mother came and took them away," he said, somewhat happily. Absol jerked his head towards the boys – they were sitting at a table on the far left, occasionally looking at him longingly as they ate. "Let's finish our food and get out of here quickly, please…"

"Okay. I didn't know what to get, so I bought some ice-cream. Or would you rather have something else?"

"No, no, ice-cream's fine." He looked down at the plastic spoon sticking out from the dessert. "I've never tried it before."

"Me neither. When I place my paws above it, like this," he held out his paws over the ice-cream as though warming himself up by a fireplace, "I can feel a cooling sensation. It's almost as if it has an aura of its own."

Absol, as usual, ate without the use of his paws, choosing to bend his head down and eat directly from the plate. Lucario, however, decided to try using the spoon provided. Holding the manmade utensil was not too difficult a task, what with his experience in writing with a pen. The hard part was scooping the dessert out, though he succeeded in removing a large chunk of ice-cream from the plate on his first try.

As he was used to chewing his food, Lucario sank his teeth into the ice-cream without giving it a second thought. He was rewarded by a sharp pain in his fangs, and he withdrew the spoon quickly. Noticing that Absol wasn't making the same mistake as he did, Lucario mimicked his friend's actions by taking it slow and licking from the spoon instead. When he felt ready to face the cold again, he began taking small mouthfuls of the dessert.

The taste was unique, to say the least. It was sweet, and yet it made his tongue a little numb. Still, he had a tendency to like sweet items, and this was no different. Like the marshmallow, it was soft, and he had fun squishing it around his mouth with his tongue. Lucario was just beginning to wonder what hot ice-cream would taste like when a whole group of people began pouring into the cafeteria.

At the very front of the crowd was a short girl with a big, purple ribbon tied to her black hair – the child star he had seen earlier. She was accompanied by several important-looking people, some of who were pushing away persistent photographers insisting on taking more shots of Kaori. Romping around her feet was the Skitty, looking thoroughly pleased at the attention she and her partner were garnering.

A small, brown Pokémon ran forward and sat a short distance away. To Lucario's immense surprise, it was Eevee, looking nervous and excited at the same time. The Evolution Pokémon had grown a little since the last time he saw her, but her aura remained the same as always. He thought it strange how he did not notice her presence before.

Lucario was about to call out to her when the most peculiar thing happened.

Eevee edged a little closer towards Kaori, her anxiousness increasing sharply with each step. This caught the eye of the girl, who bent down to have a closer look at the Pokémon. Apparently deciding that Eevee was cute, Kaori reached out to pet her.

He could have cried out a warning, but his voice seemed to have left him momentarily. It was too late – Kaori's fingers made contact with the brown Pokémon's fur, and she was gently stroking the top of Eevee's head. Lucario squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the explosion that was bound to occur.

It never came.

Curious, he opened his eyes again only to find Eevee lazily enjoying the attention, nuzzling the girl's arm. Lucario could only stare at the bizarre scene with his mouth wide open – he didn't even notice that he had dropped his spoon.

Kaori straightened up again and walked towards the food stalls, leaving Eevee standing alone with a big smile on her face. Wondering if this was all a dream, Lucario got up from his seat.

"Where're you going?" Absol enquired, looking up. There was vanilla ice-cream all over his face. Resisting the urge to laugh, Lucario pointed at Eevee, and Absol's eyes went wide. "What is she doing here?"

"I don't know, but I intend to find out. You don't have to wait for me; continue eating your ice-cream. I'll just go and say hi."

"All right…" he said doubtfully. "Be careful!"

Lucario laughed. "Don't worry… I should be able to make it back alive."

Eevee, with her back turned to him, did not notice as the Aura Pokémon walked up to her. Instead, she was still staring after Kaori, who was apparently deciding what to buy for lunch.

"Eevee! Long time no see!"

The reaction was immediate – she leapt around with her teeth bared, claws outstretched and ready to attack. When she saw who it was, she relaxed her fighting pose, though the smile from earlier did not return to her face. Lucario did not expect a warm greeting from her, of course, but he found it strange that she was not wearing her usual scowl either.

Instead, the Evolution Pokémon was emanating a combination of surprise, unease, and something else which Lucario was not able to identify. If his guess was correct, the third emotion was actually relief… Had his sudden greeting frightened her that much?

Feeling a little downhearted by the lacklustre response, Lucario spoke again. "You're looking great, Eevee… I trust you have been well? It has been quite a while since we last met."

He could vividly recall their previous encounter – how could he forget, seeing as he had been pelted by apples and water balloons at that time? Though the expression on her face was placid, Lucario could tell that she was thinking along the same lines.

"I'm fine." Her tail was pointing rigidly upwards, and she seemed to hesitate for a moment before saying grudgingly, "How about you?"

The question caught him by surprise. Lightening up again, he smiled and bowed slightly. "Couldn't be better. Thanks for asking. But this is a surprise – I never thought I would meet you here!"

For some reason, Eevee narrowed her eyes at this statement, her mouth curved into a frown. Before she could make a retort, however, she glanced over Lucario's shoulder with a horrified expression. Lucario quickly turned around; a girl had just entered the cafeteria, holding a Poké Ball.

Spotting Eevee, she held up the device and made a beeline towards the Pokémon. "There you are, little Eevee! Don't run away! I promise I'll take good care of you!"

Sensing what the girl was about to do, Lucario quickly scooped Eevee up and held her tightly against his body like a child would with a doll. A second after he had done so, the Poké Ball flew towards the spot where Eevee had been standing, and bounced off to a group of people at their table.

Ignoring the yelps and protests coming from Eevee, Lucario turned back to the girl and pointed his right paw at her, growling softly. Judging by her attire and the belt of Poké Balls around her waist, she was probably a trainer.

She looked from Eevee to Lucario. Her eyes fell on the red scarf around Lucario's neck. "Aw… you already have a trainer, then?" she said to Eevee, apparently thinking that the two Pokémon were part of a trainer's team. "What a disappointment…"

And with that, she pouted and walked off quickly, casting a wary eye at the group of people who had her Poké Ball – one of them, a tall and burly man, was shaking a fist at her for disrupting their meal.

Eevee began to squirm violently again, her hind legs flailing about comically as she attempted to get out of Lucario's grip. "Glass-face, you can put me down now!"

"Oh… right, sorry." He sighed as he lowered Eevee to the ground; he had almost forgotten about the nickname given to him for his moment of carelessness at Greg's mansion. "I told you, Eevee. That's what you get for not wearing a human accessory. It was fortunate she thought you and I belonged to someone else."

"We got lucky indeed." Eevee dusted herself with her paw and stared at the cafeteria's exit – where the girl had disappeared to – with dislike in her eyes. "I hate her. She has been following me around ever since she saw me walk out of the forest. It started with a little bit of petting and cuddling, but then things escalated quickly. I managed to give her the slip earlier, but clearly she doesn't know when to give up."

She gave a shudder, and Lucario remembered something else he wanted to ask her. "Speaking of petting and cuddling, what are you doing here, Eevee? I saw you earlier, nuzzling that Kaori girl… I thought you hated humans?"

An intense wave of emotion erupted from Eevee, almost knocking the Aura Pokémon off his feet. "You did not see that!" She looked even more horrified than when she spotted the trainer who was after her. "You are mistaken! I was… I was dirty, so I was trying to get the dirt to stick onto the girl's hand by rubbing myself against her, that's all! Stop grinning!" She tackled him. "You didn't see what you thought you saw!"

"But there was no mistaking that smile on your face, nor the happiness radiating from you…" Lucario was rewarded with another tackle. "All right, all right, I believe you!" he said hastily, trying to restrain the irate Pokémon. "Though… you know, it's nothing to be ashamed about if you're a fan of hers."

Eevee growled, lowering the front of her body into a fighting stance once again.

"Okay, I get it – please don't growl at me anymore; there are people and Pokémon watching. If you weren't a fan of Kaori's, then what are you doing in this building?"

"I just wandered in here." She decided to take the offensive instead, apparently with the thought that it was the only way to stop Lucario from prying into her affairs. "But what are _you _doing here, Lucario?"

"Me? I saw a huge sign outside the building, saying that a star was coming to give some sort of giant interview. You wouldn't believe the excitement coming from the crowd that had gathered here – I decided to enter and check it out. Absol's here too; see, he's over there, looking at us."

Eevee turned to look at Absol, who was eyeing them warily. Lucario thought that his white-furred friend must have seen the commotion with the trainer earlier, based on the apprehension emitting from him.

Absol nodded slightly to acknowledge Eevee, a gesture which she returned with a slight inclination of her head.

"Would you like to join us, Eevee? We were having some ice-cream before you came along. I could get you one, if you want."

"No thanks. Ice-cream makes me sick."

"Ah, you've tried some before, then? If it's not to your fancy… is there anything else you would rather have instead?"

She paused, looking as though she was seriously considering his offer, but then lowered her head. "I'm not really hungry." She gazed downwards at her feet, her tail thumping the floor repeatedly. "Thanks for the offer though."

"You're… welcome," Lucario said, surprised at the politeness she was displaying. An awkward silence then fell between them and, for the first time in ages, he found himself at a total loss for words.

Lucario was spared the burden of reviving the dead conversation when someone else entered the cafeteria with his black tail swishing about as he took a sniff at the air, accompanied by a boy in a white jacket.

Amazed, Lucario called out to the Pokémon, waving his arms about. "Mightyena! Hey, Mightyena!"

Both the Pokémon and the boy turned to him; the human evidently confused, having no understanding of the Pokémon language, but the Mightyena smiled when he saw Lucario. He padded over to the duo. "Ah, it's you! Such a small world, isn't it?"

"No, it's a huge world," Lucario said excitedly, completely missing the meaning of the phrase, "but this is an even bigger coincidence! It's nice seeing you again! I'm glad you remember me!"

Mightyena laughed, sitting down on his haunches. "Of course I do. I enjoyed our chat at the bus." He turned to Eevee. "Hello, friend of Lucario's."

Before Eevee could return the greeting, the boy walked over and scratched the top of Mightyena's head, eyeing Lucario and Eevee with interest. "Didn't know you had friends here in Sinnoh, Wolf. Well, I'll go get us our food then; you have fun chatting with them."

With a slight wave at Lucario and Eevee, the boy walked away.

"Is he your human partner?" Lucario took his gaze off the boy and stared at the Mightyena. "And… did he call you 'Wolf'?"

"Yeah…" He laughed again, looking sheepish. "That's my human pal, Will, and yes, that's my name. I picked it out from a dictionary. Silly, I know."

"Will…" Lucario stared at the boy, who was now scratching his head as he looked around at all the different stalls in the cafeteria, seemingly overwhelmed by the choices available. "He looks like a nice guy. Are the both of you here to see Kaori too?"

Wolf shook his head. "Not to see her, no. Rather… it's more like… we _brought_ her here."

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Well, remember when I told you that I'm here with my partner for a holiday, while his parents had work in this city?"

Lucario nodded; it had been a long time since they met at the bus, but he could still remember what they talked about.

"Will's father is a big shot in the television industry; he runs Solar Studios. He is here to work on a movie with some Sinnoh stars. They've finished filming some time ago, but he still has some sort of concert to oversee, so Will and I decided to hang around a little longer before we resume our travels." The dark-type nodded his head towards Kaori, who had purchased her meal and was walking away with it in a bag, instead of dining in the cafeteria itself. "The girl is the lead actress of the film. She's so young, and yet quite well-known. Don't tell anyone, but she isn't too happy about her position, actually."

Having already scanned Kaori's emotions during the press conference, Lucario was not too surprised with this revelation. Eevee, however, perked up her ears and stared earnestly at Wolf.

"And why is that?" she asked, slight apprehension in her voice. Wolf turned to her and Eevee moved a step backwards, apparently intimidated by the Mightyena.

"Well…" Wolf tilted his head and stared at his feet as he shifted them. "How should I put this? Apparently, image is an important thing that must be upheld at all times when you are a star. As such, there are lots of restrictions in place. Some might be willing to make those sacrifices – it's the price of stardom, after all – but she's definitely not happy about it. According to her, she had to lie about many things."

"You've spoken to her?" Lucario asked in surprise. From their previous chat, Wolf had revealed that he was able to converse in English, having learned the language when he was still a Poochyena. "In English?"

"No, of course not," Wolf said, laughing slightly as he stared at Eevee, who was looking bemused upon learning that he was capable of human speech. "Very few know of my ability, and I prefer to keep it that way. No, it was Will who talked to her. To be more precise, Kaori was the one who approached Will first. She wanted to hear what it's like to go on a journey for badges; it's her dream to start her own journey someday."

Eevee's eyes went wide with surprise. "Kaori wants to be a trainer?"

Lucario quickly brought a paw up to his mouth to hide a grin; contrary to what Eevee had claimed, she sure seemed to have a soft spot for Kaori.

"That's what she said. She's a tad too young, of course, but she's almost of age. Still, her father is not supportive of the idea."

"But why?" Eevee asked again.

Wolf surveyed her with interest. "Once again, it's all about image. In her father's eyes, she is more suited to be a coordinator, participating in contests and such. She's an idol, after all, and gym battles supposedly don't fit her." He paused for a moment. "Are you a fan of hers?"

Eevee quickly shook her head as she attempted to look indifferent. "No, of course not."

"If it is not Kaori, then it's probably the gossiping that you like, Eevee," chimed in Lucario, unable to resist the chance to make fun of her. "Who would have thought?"

"You shut up, you," she said, growling again.

Wolf stared from Eevee to Lucario in amusement. "So, Lucario, how's life been for you lately?"

"Quite good. How about you?"

"Same here. It's fun exploring this city, although –" he turned to stare at his human partner "– Will over there is quite disappointed about the lack of a gym in the city. There doesn't seem to be many trainers here either; I suppose they don't really see the point of stopping by if they couldn't get a gym challenge. Typical humans."

"I see." Lucario had never really thought about it before, but what Wolf said was true. There weren't many Pokémon trainers around Ferrous City, which suited him just fine. After all, the more the trainers there were, the greater the chance of him getting caught.

"By the way, how's your English coming along? Are you able to speak it fluently yet?"

"No, I'm afraid not," Lucario admitted shamefacedly, hanging his head. "To be honest, I've been neglecting my studies. I can read and write, sure, but I haven't worked on my articulation in a long time."

"Ah, is that so? No matter, it's not really important for Pokémon to be able to communicate in a human language, after all. Besides…" Wolf grinned. "My spelling is atrocious. Couldn't spell to save my life. Anyway… I won't be around here much longer, Lucario. The whole family's leaving Sinnoh after the concert."

"Oh… that's too bad," said Lucario, disappointed. "Will you be coming here again someday?"

"I might, yeah. Maybe not for a while, but sooner or later." He stood up. "Say… why don't you go to the concert as well? It's a charity event, but admission is free for Pokémon."

"Really? Where is it? And when?"

"It'll be held tomorrow, at around ten or eleven in the morning, I can't really remember." Wolf smiled sheepishly. "I do know the location though: the stadium at the northern section of the city, considerably near Kaori's house. It is an indoor stadium, and it's quite big. I've been there a few times.

"Anyway, various artistes will be performing there – Kaori being one of them. We could meet up one last time before I leave."

"I'll be there!" Lucario exclaimed happily.

"Okay, that's settled then. And here's Will with the food!" Wolf jumped up and rested both his forepaws on the boy's body, trying to sniff at the plastic bag Will was carrying.

"All in good time, Wolf," Will said, chuckling as he tried to yank the bag away from his Pokémon's nose. "We promised to eat with Kaori, remember? Let's see… an Eevee, and…" he turned to the Aura Pokémon, "uh… Lu… Lucario, right?"

Lucario nodded and was about to bow when he saw that the boy had stretched out his right arm. Smiling, he shook Will's hand and watched in amusement as Will turned to Eevee. The brown-furred Pokémon stared at the palm for a moment before reluctantly placing her paw in it.

The moment Will turned away, however, Eevee began to clean her paw on Lucario's fur.

"So, Lucario, Eevee, it's been nice chatting with you both," Wolf said. "I'll see you two at the concert."

Wolf nudged his human partner, and after waving goodbye, the both of them began to walk away. Lucario stared as Wolf attempted to smell the food again, but his mind was elsewhere. It had been ages since he last went on a human-watching session, and he was itching to do so again. And now, the perfect chance had presented itself for him to pursue his latest target.

"Wolf! Wait!"

The dark-type turned around. "Yes?"

Lucario ran forward. "Sorry for interrupting, but I was wondering… you are going to meet Kaori now, yes? Is it okay for me to tag along?"

Wolf blinked in surprise. "Kaori? I don't see any problems with that – she loves meeting new Pokémon… but hang on a sec."

The Mightyena turned to his perplexed trainer and motioned for the human to lean closer. Will bent down and Wolf pressed his muzzle to his trainer's ear – Lucario assumed that the Pokémon was whispering the message in English.

A while later, Will straightened up again and scratched his head, eyeing Lucario. "Well, I'm sure Kaori wouldn't mind. After all, she was eager to see the rest of my team the other day – she'll probably be ecstatic."

Lucario grabbed Will's hand and shook it again before turning to Wolf. "Thanks. I have another friend, an Absol, I'll go and get him."

"An Absol?" Wolf began craning his neck as he scanned the cafeteria for signs of the Disaster Pokémon. "Interesting."

Lucario hesitated, his smile faltering. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No, no," he said hastily. "Of course not."

"Okay then. I'll be right back."

As Lucario rushed back to his table, Eevee followed behind, looking slightly flustered. He had a feeling he knew what Eevee was thinking about, and his suspicions were confirmed when Eevee began emitting the same waves of apprehension like earlier.

"Hey, Lucario, are you seriously going with them to meet Kaori?"

"Yep. My latest human-watching project. Wanna come, Eevee?"

"Well…"

It was all Lucario could do to refrain from laughing – he was hardly able to contain his mirth anymore. Eevee was backed into a corner; if she said no, she would be giving up on the chance to meet her idol, which Lucario knew to be true no matter how hard she tried to deny it. And yet, saying yes was akin to a confession that she was a fan of Kaori's after all. Moreover, Eevee did condemn his hobby of human-watching the last time he dragged her into the activity.

"If I venture out of the building alone right now, that crazy girl from earlier might figure out that I'm a wild Pokémon," she said in a convincing irritable tone. "Guess I'm stuck with you for the moment. Just my luck."

"Not working, Eevee." He bent down until his face was inches away from hers. "I don't know why you are continuously hiding the truth; come on, you can tell me! I promise I will not laugh at you or anything. Though, I am rather curious as to how you came to know of Kaori in the first place."

She sighed, pushing Lucario's face away with her paw. "Okay, I admit it. I have seen her works on television – music videos, short skits… I wasn't a big fan, but – no, it's true, Glass-face!" she snapped as he scoffed at this. "She caught my eye, that is all. It was boring, being cooped up in that brat's home. At least she provided entertainment."

"I see." Lucario hesitated; the topic had turned to Greg again. Though it had been a long time since Eevee attained her freedom, it appeared that all the bitterness remained, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "Well, I guess you had to find a different form of entertainment besides chess. But hey, Eevee, it's all over, isn't it? You're back in the forest now. Life has improved, yes?"

"I guess so." She jabbed his leg crossly. "Aren't you going to get Absol? You shouldn't keep the Mightyena waiting."

"Oh no, I forgot!" He cast a hurried glance at the dark-type Pokémon. Thankfully, Will was talking animatedly with Wolf, and neither of them seemed to even realise how long it had been taking Lucario to fetch his friend.

Lucario rushed ahead, squeezing his way through the narrow spaces between tables until he reached Absol. His friend had been staring at him all this while, his empty plate of ice-cream pushed to the side. "Absol, I'm so sorry for making you wait."

"You don't need to apologise, Luc, though…" He stared down pointedly at Lucario's plate.

Puzzled, Lucario followed Absol's gaze only to find that his vanilla ice-cream had greatly reduced in size, with a small puddle formed around it. "Oh, no… have I been gone that long?"

"Long enough for it to melt." Absol leapt off his seat and mumbled a short greeting to Eevee before rounding on Lucario. "Hey, what's with that girl trainer I saw earlier? That was dangerous – you could have been captured!"

"Don't worry; she saw my scarf and left." Lucario grabbed the spoon and scooped up the remaining small chunk of ice-cream. Now that it had melted, it was not as tasty anymore. "She was aiming for Eevee."

Placing his mouth on the edge of the plate, he tilted it upwards and let the puddle of ice-cream flow slowly down into his throat.

"Relax, Absol," he continued, "I have you and Eevee with me. Though I must admit, that girl was very brazen, attempting a capture right here."

Absol was visibly unconvinced, though he changed the subject. "What about the boy trainer, then? I saw you talking to his Mightyena."

"Ah, the Mightyena is someone I had met in the city, before you decided to stay in the cave with me. He can speak English!" he said, enjoying the look of surprise on Absol's face. "And you know that girl we saw earlier, answering questions from the crowd? He is going to take us to see her. It's a perfect chance for me to get back into human-watching."

"Are you sure, Lucario? The last time you tried reading minds, you –"

"Oh, don't worry about that."

Lucario took the plates off the table and walked over to the ice-cream store with Absol and Eevee trailing closely behind. "I was mind-manipulating that day; it took a lot out of me, but it's not something I need to do every time I human-watch." He handed the dirty utensils over to the man at the counter, who looked utterly bewildered, though he found his tongue shortly after and thanked the Aura Pokémon. Lucario bowed and turned back to Absol. "Plus, it's been a long time since then. I've rested enough. So, want to come, Absol?"

The white-furred Pokémon cast a sceptical look at Will. "Okay. So I can keep an eye on you."

"Oh, you should look out for Eevee, really," he said, pointing at the Evolution Pokémon standing behind him. "She's the one in demand."

Eevee snarled, seemingly tempted to chomp down on his paw, which was pointed at her face. "Don't speak as if I'm an object put on sale!"

Lucario smirked as he lowered his voice to a whisper, though making sure that Eevee could still hear him. "If she was on sale though, I doubt anyone would want to purchase her."

At this, she really did sink her teeth into Lucario's paw, causing him to yelp in pain. Rubbing it gingerly, he turned to face Absol and sent a telepathic message, "_Yep… she's clearly a faulty product,_" to which Absol replied with a grin. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, Eevee – you'd make a great Totodile, those fangs of yours – ow! Enough, please! I'm done teasing you. Let's hurry; I've kept Wolf waiting too long."

**:::::::::::::::::::**

According to Wolf, the building had reserved a special room for Kaori that day, as she was their special guest. The trip to that room led Lucario to his first ever elevator ride. He had to admit that it was scary initially, especially when the doors shut and trapped the group within. When he asked Wolf what would happen should the power go out, the canine replied that there was a special button that can be used to call for help.

The elevator itself was beautiful – mirrors were attached to the sides, and there was an intricate pattern on the floor. The Aura Pokémon played with his reflection as the elevator moved upwards, stopping occasionally to let some people and Pokémon in and out. Lucario seemed to be the only one admiring the little compartment; everyone else just stared blankly ahead as they waited. He had to fight the temptation to push all of the buttons in the elevator – for some reason, he had a feeling the others might not see the humour and fun in this.

Upon reaching their destination, the group poured out of the elevator into a long, brightly-lit hallway that had several diverging paths. Will took the lead while the rest followed, Lucario enjoying the feel of the carpet on his feet.

At last, Will stopped in front of a door and began knocking. A moment passed before it opened slowly, revealing a tall man in a pure-black suit and slicked-back hair. He pushed his shades upwards and inclined his head slightly as a sign of greeting before stepping back to allow them inside.

"Miss Kaori, Master Will is here to see you," he announced, his eyebrows raised in surprise at the large entourage the boy had brought with him.

Upon entering the room, Lucario was met with a sudden gush of chilling air. Looking up, he saw an air-conditioner attached on the golden-brown walls, just above a tiny window which boasted a modest view of the city. He was initially surprised that there was no bed in the room, but then he reminded himself that this wasn't a hotel.

Kaori was seated in front of a mirror; apparently, she had been brushing her hair. "Oh, Will!" She leapt up from her chair and beamed at them. "Hi!"

"Hello, Kaori! Sorry to have kept you waiting!"

She shook her head, but turned to the man as he cleared his throat. "Miss Kaori, I shall take my leave now. I will see you tomorrow then, when I fetch you to the concert. I will bring the car to your home at nine. You will be alone with the cook, no?"

The girl looked surprised. "Alone?"

"Ah… have you not been informed by your father? Apparently, he has something to attend to in the morning."

"No, he didn't tell me anything!" she said, disconcerted. "Never mind, I'll ask Daddy later. Thank you, Charles, I will see you tomorrow."

The man bowed and left, closing the door behind him. Will stared at Kaori tentatively. "Is everything all right, Kaori?"

"Oh, yes, everything is fine!" she said brightly, rushing forward. Before she could do anything else, there was a knock at the door. Looking confused, she walked over and opened it.

The guest was a professional-looking woman, clutching a large, bright red handbag tightly as she greeted the child idol, seemingly distressed. She swept her hair backwards, revealing a pair of earrings that looked as though they contained imitation gemstones. "I'm so sorry, Miss Kaori, but I seem to have misplaced my audio recorder, and I think it may have been after our interview this morning. Can I come in to have a look?"

"Oh, sure! I didn't see it, though."

"Thank you!" She took a step into the room and stared in surprise at Will and the large group of Pokémon, which did not include Skitty. The woman uttered a quick greeting and looked away, apparently embarrassed. "It may have dropped near the sofa, where we sat earlier."

The lady began lifting the cushions off the sofa, searching for her device. "It's not here… oh!" She bent down and pushed the furniture away slightly. Her recorder was on the floor, hiding in the shadow of a side-table next to the sofa. "There it is! Must have dropped it somehow – so careless of me. The CD with our interview is still inside too…"

Having retrieved the device, she pushed the sofa back to its original position before examining the recorder. "Well, I'm glad I found it, or that interview would have been for nothing. Thank you, Miss Kaori. Good luck for the concert tomorrow; I hope to get some nice shots of you!"

"You are welcome! And thank you!"

Once the woman left, Kaori shut the door firmly and locked it again before giving her full attention to Wolf.

"Hello, Wolf, nice to see you again! And Will, you've brought more of your Pokémon with you today!"

"No, no, these aren't mine! They're friends of Wolf's."

"Are they?" Kaori shook Lucario's paw, looking positively enthralled. "They're all so cute! You're a Lucario, and you're an Absol, and – oh! Aren't you that adorable little Eevee I met earlier?"

She petted Eevee again, causing some ripples of embarrassment to emanate from the little Pokémon. Lucario stifled a laugh; Absol was staring at them with wide eyes, wearing the same stupefied look he usually had on during the fighting-type's human-watching sessions.

"I know!" Kaori exclaimed, running towards the sofa and rummaging through her bag. She emerged shortly afterwards with a Poké Ball. "Now that we're alone…"

The first thing that crossed Lucario's mind was that she wanted to catch them – and apparently his companions thought the same, for Absol and Eevee both took a step backwards at the sight of the device. However, Kaori tossed the Poké Ball to the side instead, and a Pokémon soon emerged from it.

Lucario expected to see the Skitty, but he could not have guessed further from the truth. It was a huge, greyish Pokémon with long whiskers that twitched as she glared around with her sharp, yellow eyes. The moment she spotted Kaori, her frown lessened as she rushed to the girl's side.

"Pearly! I've missed you so much!" Kaori wrapped her arms around the Purugly's waist and beamed at the group. "You three," she said to Lucario and his companions, who were all wearing confused expressions, "have yet to meet her. Pearly is my best friend ever in the whole wide world!"

"Best friend," Lucario repeated softly, looking at the Purugly. Didn't that title belong to Skitty?

"Go on, Pearly." Kaori began pushing the Purugly towards them. "It isn't often you get to meet others. Go and have a nice chat."

The Pokémon took a few steps towards them with a smile on her face, though she still looked extremely intimidating. Will and Kaori went off to the sofa, opening the packets of food they bought earlier at the cafeteria. The smell of it had enticed Wolf over to them, leaving the Purugly alone with Lucario, Absol and Eevee. As neither of his friends seemed willing to start the conversation, he stepped forward and offered his paw.

"Hi! I am Lucario. I take it your name is Pearly?"

"Pearl, actually," she replied silkily as she placed her paw on his. "Forgive me for saying this, but you three seemed baffled by my being here."

Lucario nodded sheepishly. "To be honest, Miss Pearl, I was wondering why –"

"Why Kaori claimed I was her best friend?" She sat down and began licking her paw. "Because it's true. You're probably confused because you've seen her with the Skitty. That little pink furball's nothing but a lie, my dear."

Eevee gasped. "You mean… that Skitty is not – is not –"

Pearly fixed her gaze on the Evolution Pokémon. "Your guess is correct. It is but a façade. I remain Kaori's one and only Pokémon. Look around – the Skitty isn't even here! She's with her real owner for now, but she'll be back tomorrow for the concert."

As she said that, Lucario recalled the uneasiness Kaori had felt during the press conference, especially when the reporters began asking questions about Skitty. Suddenly, everything came together, and he understood at once. "I get it! When Kaori was asked about the time she first met Skitty, she went on to describe the day you hatched, Miss Pearl."

Pearl turned back to him, her eyes wide in surprise. "Did she now?" She laughed, shaking her head. "Silly of her to make that mistake…"

"But why?" Eevee said loudly, drawing a curious stare from Wolf over at the sofa. She seemed upset about the revelation, as though she had been betrayed by her idol. "Why pretend that the Skitty was her friend when it's actually you?"

"My dear…" Pearl walked towards Eevee and stared at her face-to-face. "Are you disappointed that Kaori's true partner is me instead of that furball?"

"N–no, but… why?"

"Well, it's like what I said earlier, isn't it?" Wolf said as he padded over, a few grains of rice stuck on his muzzle. "In this industry, it's all about image. I told you, there were plenty of sacrifices to be made, and this is a major one for Kaori. You see, for some reason, it was decided that _Pearly_ here is not good enough for Kaori's persona."

"Oh ho ho, you amuse me, Wolf!" Pearl said as she bumped the Mightyena playfully with her body, causing him to yelp. "Way to skirt around the subject. Just say it out straight – they think I am ugly, and totally unfitting to be the companion of a star-to-be."

"But that's crazy – that's not a proper excuse at all!" Lucario said, outraged. "Forcing you to pretend that you didn't exist just because of your looks… and you're not ugly either…"

"Thank you, you're not so bad-looking yourself," Pearl said as Lucario became the next victim of her affectionate bump-attack. "Kaori tells that to me all the time. 'You're the most beautiful Pokémon in the whole world,' she would say." The Purugly sighed, gazing at Kaori fondly. "Even if it's just a lie, it's one I truly appreciate."

"She's not lying," Lucario assured firmly. "I'm certain of that."

"Thank you. Though, you know, male Pokémon used to flock around when I was a Glameow. It makes me wonder sometimes – if I had not evolved, would things have turned out differently?"

Lucario did not know how to respond to that – and neither did anyone else, for the matter. Pearl stared at Kaori dreamily for a few seconds before registering the uneasy silence that had fallen around them. She let out a loud chuckle, looking from one Pokémon to another.

"I'm not complaining, of course! I don't mind being the Pokémon behind the scenes, as long as Kaori is happy."

"But she's not," Lucario said. "I sensed it earlier. She is tired of the spotlight."

"Tired of the spotlight?" Pearl closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. "But it's only just beginning. She started out small, you know, just a few minor TV appearances here and there. Then she ventured into the music industry for a while, but she wasn't that huge a success – oh, no, nothing of that sort! Though album sales were reasonable, she was overshadowed by others; liked by only a few. But she didn't mind at all.

"It was only until recently when she was chosen to be the lead actress in this new movie that the public began to really look at her. Her parents were ecstatic – here, at last, was an opportunity to take her career one step higher! That's when they brought the Skitty in, too," she added bitterly. "This movie, '_Ocean of Time_', is a huge one, you know. She worked alongside many big names, not only from Sinnoh, but from several other regions as well.

"You wouldn't believe the amount of money made from this movie alone. The old house was sold, and we moved to a nice new home here at Ferrous City." Seeing Lucario's confused expression, she chuckled and said, "Oh, didn't you know? We were originally from Jubilife – her mother is still there at the moment. That's where Kaori's career started, you know: a simple audition at Jubilife TV. And see how time favours her. Her star is only beginning to shine, and already she's tired of it? This won't do at all…"

"Quite the conundrum, isn't it, Pearly?" Wolf placed a paw on the Purugly's back. "What with filming work and being hidden from the public's eye, you don't spend much time with Kaori anymore, do you?"

"Not much, no. I'm a secret known to very few. But filming for the movie has completed, hasn't it, so I'll get to be with her a little more now. Until her next job, that is!" She laughed and shook her head. "There I go, spewing off sob stories… it's really unlike me."

"I heard Kaori wants to be a trainer," Lucario said. "If she pursues that dream and relinquishes her current occupation, you two can travel together, no?"

"Oh, yes, you heard right," she replied, sounding surprised. "She trains me for battle sometimes. But her parents wouldn't permit it; they'd rather see her in contests. And guess which Pokémon Kaori will be forced to use? That furball, that's who. In fact, even if she really did become a trainer, who's to say I would be her primary companion? It could still be Kaori and Skitty, the so-called golden combination."

Silence befell upon them again, and the Purugly glanced around almost gloatingly, as though she had finally convinced them that there was no way out of this maze for her. Wolf was right, thought Lucario. It was quite the conundrum indeed.

"Come on, let's stop this depressing talk." She jerked her head towards the two humans on the sofa. "Let's go and eavesdrop; they might be talking bad about us behind our backs."

Wolf grinned, showing off his impressive set of fangs. "You know, knowing Will, he just might be doing that."

"Let's go, then!"

"Yes, let's."

Together, the pair trotted towards their owners, leaving the three wild Pokémon behind. Lucario turned to his companions, eager to hear their opinions. "So, what do you think?"

Absol shrugged. "Pokémon discrimination, Luc. It happens, unfortunately."

"It all boils down to the humans," Eevee said angrily. "I told you, they're a miserable species. What kind of sick logic is that, judging Pokémon based on their looks… downright despicable, they are."

"Well, Eevee, that's like the pot calling the kettle a kitchen utensil. You're always commenting on how silly I look."

Eevee snarled, taking a menacing step towards Lucario. "But I don't judge you based on that, do I? No, I judge you based on your diminutive brain!"

"Speaking of which, my IQ is another thing you constantly rant about. Isn't there anything positive you can say about me?"

"Oh, sure, I can think of something," she said, sneering. "You're an expert at breaking into people's homes."

She burst into a fit of laughter, and as Lucario turned to Absol exasperatedly for help, he saw that the white-furred Pokémon, too, was grinning at the remark. Sighing, Lucario held up both his paws in defeat. "I give up – I can't win. Let's drop the subject." He gestured towards the child idol, who was handing a bun to Pearl. "I wish I can do something for Kaori and Miss Pearl."

"Oh, break into her home, why don't you. That's your solution to everything, isn't it?"

As Eevee proceeded to laugh again, Lucario raised a paw to his chin and pondered her suggestion. Absol's eyes widened in horror as he saw that the Aura Pokémon was seriously contemplating the idea. He shook his head violently.

"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?" he said hurriedly, a note of panic in his voice. "Are you, Lucario?"

"I was wondering… what does a star's house look like?"

"Lucario, you've seen one house, you've seen 'em all! Please tell me you're not gonna break in!"

"Wait…" Eevee had stopped her display of mirth and was now striding up to Lucario, her eyes narrowed. "You're seriously considering it?"

"Why, you want to come, Eevee?" He couldn't help but allow a smirk to form on his face. "I bet you want to, don't you? After all, Kaori is your –"

"Hush!" she yelled frantically, leaping forward and almost bowling him down. She cast a hurried glance at Absol, who stared back bewilderedly. "Be quiet!"

Lucario adjusted his scarf and grinned happily – here, at last, was a weapon he could use against Eevee. He patted her back and said innocently, "Don't worry; your secret is safe with me… for now."

Before she could reply, Wolf padded over, bits of food once again sticking all around his muzzle. "Hey, you three. What are you doing, isolating yourselves over here? Come on, the humans sent me to get you; let's have lunch together!"

"Oh, we couldn't…" Lucario began, but was cut short when Wolf walked behind him to give a light shove.

"Go on," he said, proceeding to nudge Absol and Eevee. "The food over here isn't half bad."

"Very well; if you insist, Wolf," he said, bowing. "It would be an honour."

**:::::::::::::::::::**

"Guess we should head back then," Will said as he stood up and stretched. "Tomorrow is going to an important day for you, isn't it? Good luck with your performance… how many songs will you be singing for the concert?"

The girl put up three fingers. "Three! One of them is my debut single, the second is one of my newer works, and the third a duet – the theme song of '_Ocean of Time'_. You will be there, won't you?"

"Yes, of course. It'll be our last meeting in a while too, so I won't miss it for the world!"

Kaori's face fell. "Oh, that's right… you'll be leaving tomorrow, huh?"

"We'll stay in contact; I promise."

She reached out to scratch Wolf, who was lying down besides her, behind the ears. "Will you be going on your journey with Wolf again?"

"Aaaaah… that's a good question." Will sank back onto the sofa and stroked the Mightyena's body absently as he pondered the subject; Wolf appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the attention pouring in from all sides. "I'm itching to continue my quest, of course, but it might be a little tough getting back momentum after these few months of vacation. I think I might stay at home for a week or two – let Wolf be with his family…"

The Mightyena gave a few wags of his tail and opened an eye lazily, staring at Will. Kaori looked up, puzzled. "Family? You mean… Wolf has children of his own?"

"No, no, no!" Will said hurriedly, laughing at his Pokémon partner, who seemed extremely abashed. "I'm talking about his mother and Alpha. Though… there is someone you fancy, don't you, Wolf?"

Wolf grunted and shook his head.

Apparently, Will had completely forgotten about his earlier proclamation of heading back, for he was now conversing with Kaori about Pokémon breeding.

There were faint pulses of embarrassment emitting from the Mightyena, much to the amusement of Lucario, who was sitting in a corner with Absol. It had been a lazy afternoon, and he was left with nothing to do. Eevee and Pearl were having a chat about Kaori; the pair seemed to get along very well. Of course, Eevee was treating the Purugly with a lot of respect, a clear contrast to the way she always treated him.

Absol stretched and lay down. "Lucario…"

"Yeah?" He turned to his friend, who was playing with the frills on the rug, looking extremely bored. Lucario began to run his paw around the frills, wondering how he had not noticed this remarkable plaything until now.

"If you have children of your own someday, can I be their uncle?"

It was Lucario's turn to become embarrassed. "What? What makes you so sure I'll even have one?"

"I'm just saying." Absol was looking directly into his eyes, and there was a small smile playing on the white-furred Pokémon's features.

Lucario shifted his position and began hugging his knees, feeling awkward. "I don't see myself starting a family…"

"Well, you never know," Absol said, returning his focus to the frills. "You told me you have two more of the Secret Power TMs, and your father said that all of them would be used in the course of your life…"

"He could be wrong," Lucario interjected.

"But if he's correct… I got the first TM, so maybe the second one goes to your future partner, and the third to your offspring. I'm speaking theoretically, of course. Oh, but then that would mean you'll only have one child… unless… unless your children inherit the move, because both you and your mate would have learnt Secret Power; I'm not sure how the passing down of moves work…"

Lucario felt the heat rise to his cheeks; he was growing steadily uncomfortable with each passing second, and Absol showed no signs of stopping. At last, he decided to adopt Eevee's cowardly tactic by turning the tables on his friend instead.

"Absol…"

Absol stopped his prattling and turned to Lucario. "Hmm?"

"If you ever have children of your own, can I be their uncle?"

The Disaster Pokémon clearly did not expect the same question to be thrown at him. "M–me? Oh, I doubt I would ever start a family; absolutely not. No way."

"Why not?"

"Well… let's see… for starters, no one would want me."

Lucario grinned. "Ah, the classic excuse. So you're implying that if there is someone who likes you, you're willing to consider it?"

"That's kinda hard to say… I really don't know."

"I can think of someone," Lucario said nonchalantly as he tried to untangle a couple of frills that had somehow got tied together.

"What?" Absol sat up straight. He appeared to be appalled, and yet curious at the same time. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, but I'll leave it to you to figure out who it is. And maybe I can even play matchmaker – that'd be fun."

"I – I –" Absol sputtered, struggling for words. "But Luc, I'm talking about _you_ here! Don't put me as the subject!"

"But I'm too young, Absol. My mind hasn't matured enough to contemplate the possibility of starting a family."

"Hmm… touché." Absol paused for a moment, looking confused. "Well, I guess that goes for me too."

They shared a laugh, and thankfully, Absol dropped the topic as he lay down again, closing his eyes. The uneasy tension dissipated, and not even the vibrant waves emanating from the humans, Eevee and Pearl could block the somnolent auras of Wolf and Absol.

Influenced by the increasingly dreary atmosphere, Lucario yawned as he reclined backwards so that his back leaned against the wall. He had never really considered it, but now that Absol brought it up, the future was a scary thing. What was in store for him? Would he even have a future?

Back when he was an unwanted Riolu, he had only one primary mission in life: to survive. Finding his real parents would be an added bonus, but he kept his hopes to a bare minimum. But he found a family all the same, and Xatu had given him a new goal, to prevent his home from being destroyed – and yes, he considered Ferrous City to be a part of his home.

But then what?

What would happen after that? Xatu did not elaborate. The future was left a mystery, as though it was a huge canvas yet to be filled in. Would it be up to Lucario to paint it as he liked, or would there be nothing left? He shuddered; the possibility that he might not survive was a horrifying thought. Plus, he didn't like to think that the only reason for his existence was to help out when the predicted calamity strikes.

_Father… just what did you see in your visions?_

Just then, there came yet another knock at the door. Kaori stood up, looking slightly panicked. She grabbed the Poké Ball from the desk and aimed it at Pearl – Eevee quickly jumped aside as the Purugly got sucked into the device. After she hurriedly stashed it back into her bag, the girl dashed to the door and peeped through the eyehole before opening it.

The man in the black suit was back.

"Oh, Charles, it's you again. Did you forget something?"

"No, I am here to inform Master Will that his father is here, and awaiting him downstairs at the cafeteria. Incidentally," he turned to Kaori, "_your _father has arrived as well, and will be picking you up shortly."

"Dad's here?" Will exclaimed in surprise, springing to his feet. "Strange."

Kaori sighed, looking crestfallen. "I guess you have to go now, huh?"

"Yeah… guess I should. I'll see you tomorrow then, Kaori!" He patted her shoulder. "Good luck with your performances."

"Thanks… Bye, Will!" She ruffled the Mightyena's fur as he walked by her. "Bye, Wolf!"

Lucario quickly got up and headed towards the door, his friends behind him. Kaori bade each of them goodbye as well, to which he replied with a small wave of his paw. Once they were outside, Charles nodded to Kaori and closed the door.

As they walked down the hall back towards the elevator, Lucario studied the man carefully. Charles appeared to be some sort of bodyguard; he certainly looked and acted the part. Rigid and silent, even his footsteps made very little noise, though that may have been due to the carpeted floor. He seemed the calm and collected type, though there were mild traces of apprehension in his aura, which struck Lucario as odd.

Upon reaching the elevator, its doors opened. There was only a single person in it: a short, balding man in yet another suit. He stepped out and stared at the motley crew with mild interest.

"Ah, Charles, you're here," he said, holding on to the doors with his arm to prevent them from closing. "I'll be counting on you tomorrow then."

"Yes, Mr. Sato. Don't worry; I will fetch Kaori there for her performance."

"Good, good. And Will is here too!" he said, beaming at the boy. "I hope you are well?"

Will nodded. "Yes, sir!"

The man chuckled. "There's no need for formalities, Will." The elevator doors started to move again as they attempted to shut, but was stopped by Mr. Sato. "Well, don't let me hold you up! Your father is downstairs – just had a chat with him, nice man – you'd better get going."

"Okay, Mr. Sato. I'll see you tomorrow!" He stepped into the elevator, followed by Wolf and Charles.

His two friends sprinted ahead, but Lucario hesitated. This man was undoubtedly Kaori's father, and it was evident that he was going to meet his daughter. Once again, the opportunity had presented itself for the Aura Pokémon to continue his game of human-watching.

Seeing that the man was staring at him expectantly, he shook his head and pointed towards a hallway opposite from the one which led to Kaori's room.

Getting the message, Mr. Sato nodded. "You're going the other way, then? All right."

The man turned to Charles again, and Lucario quickly yelled out to the bewildered Absol, "I'll be with you shortly! Wait for me downstairs!"

Though Absol was still confused, Lucario saw his friend nod before the elevator doors shut, leaving the Aura Pokémon alone with Kaori's father. The man petted the fighting-type on the head once before heading towards his daughter's room. Lucario stood there and waited until Mr. Sato disappeared around a corner before following him.

Hiding around the same corner, Lucario heard the man knocking on Kaori's door.

"Kaori, it's me!"

The door clicked open, and Mr. Sato walked in. Switching to his aura vision, Lucario saw the man placing his hands on Kaori's shoulders.

"How was the press conference?"

"It was boring."

He laughed, releasing his grip. "You just have to put up with it. A small price to pay, given the benefits."

Kaori looked up hopefully. "It wouldn't be so bad if I could have Pearly with me. Can't I –?"

"Kaori, you know that's not possible…" He shook his head sadly and sat down on the sofa, motioning for his daughter to do the same. "I know how much she means to you, but the agency would rather you have a more… _presentable_, they called it, Pokémon partner."

"Pearly's presentable!" she shot back angrily. "Just because they don't see her beauty… it's not fair! It's not fair to me, _or_ Pearly!"

"I know, Kaori, I know," he said exasperatedly. "But you'll still be able to play with Pearly at home, won't you?"

"It's not enough…"

They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, and Mr. Sato tapped his feet absently, staring around the room. Kaori spoke up again, remembering something that was mentioned earlier by Charles. "I was told that you wouldn't be around tomorrow? Aren't you coming with me to the concert?"

"Oh, that's right; I forgot to tell you." He beamed at her. "I have great news. After much discussion, I have secured a contract for your next big project. It's a film adaptation of a famous short story, '_Buizel in the River'_. Imagine that, Kaori, isn't that great? They say the author of that tale will be writing the script – the story will be extended, and –"

Mr. Sato paused when he saw Kaori pouting with her arms folded, a reaction he was clearly not expecting. "What's wrong?"

"So that's where you'll be tomorrow – signing the contract?"

"Oh, no, of course not!" he said, laughing heartily. "Can't sign it without you there! No, I'll be collecting a copy of the contract for you to read after the concert. It is a great opportunity, Kaori…"

Kaori was unconvinced. "And I expect I'll be walking around with a stupid Buizel next, won't I?"

"Don't say that – Buizel aren't stupid, they are quite remarkable. And cute."

"Pearly's cute," she said defiantly, looking straight into her father's eyes.

"I know, but… well…" He faltered. "Anyway… I'm still unsure what role you'll be getting; there's no guarantee that you'll be the lead actress. I do know that they are interested in having you as a part of the production. In any case, Skitty will still be your main Pokémon – if you do get a Buizel, it'll only be temporary."

Kaori shook her head, pointing at her bag, where Pearl's Poké Ball was kept. "No, Pearly will always be my main Pokémon."

The man sighed. "You know what I mean. Anyway, collecting the document won't take long. I will be with you at the concert before it's even your turn to perform, okay? And Mommy's coming for a few days too! Aren't you looking forward to that? Pretty soon, when her work is finished, she'll finally move in with us at the house, and we'll be together again. Isn't that great, Kaori?"

"Yes, but…" The girl took her father's arm and shook it. "But Daddy, I really don't want to do this anymore… there is no freedom! I can't do what I like, I can't play with the Pokémon I want; I can't even bring Pearly for a stroll in the town…"

"Of course not. You're famous now, people will notice."

"Exactly! I can't stand it! I don't want to live like this anymore… my identity itself is one big lie! Even my real life is scripted! And I can't be a trainer like Will…" she added bitterly. "This wouldn't be so bad if I'm allowed to have Pearly by my side."

Mr. Sato stroked his chin, thinking hard. At last, he clasped her hand and said, "We'll talk more about this after the concert. For now, I want you to relax. It wouldn't do if you stress yourself out now, not when you have a big performance tomorrow." He kissed her forehead. "We'll talk more tomorrow, all right?"

Kaori nodded, and her father got up to gather her things. Apparently, they were about to leave the building and head home. Deciding that he had seen enough, Lucario was on the verge of terminating his aura vision when he heard a particularly disturbing thought from the child idol's mind…

_What if… tomorrow… I run away from it all?_

"That's everything," her father stated, checking around the room to ensure that nothing was forgotten. "Let's go home."

Kaori stood up and nodded. "Okay."

Lucario quickly returned to his own mind and tore down the hallway towards the elevator, determined to tell his friends about this unexpected development. He was unable to ascertain if Kaori truly intended to run away the next day, but he couldn't just ignore it… Even if it wasn't tomorrow, there was no way he could be sure that she wouldn't run away in the future. After all, the thought was there… that, in itself, was a huge red light.

_But what am I to do?_

He stepped into the elevator, which was empty. He could hear Kaori and her father approaching, and decided it was best to hold the door open for them. After all, if they were in the lift together, he could slip into Kaori's mind again.

Mr. Sato rushed ahead of his daughter to stall the elevator, only to find Lucario inside, holding on to the 'open' button. "Oh, it's you again. Thanks."

Lucario nodded. Kaori soon appeared, following her father into the elevator. "Oh, Lucario! You're still here?"

The Aura Pokémon nodded once more, smiling. Once the father-daughter pair was inside, he pushed the 'close' button, followed by the button which would bring them to the ground floor. Though it was only temporary, Lucario felt a sense of importance, being the elevator operator of the moment.

Neither of them spoke a word as the elevator moved downwards. Unfortunately, Kaori seemed to be distracted by the blue-furred Pokémon's appearance, and did not continue her thoughts about running away. Instead, she kept staring at his scarf.

They soon reached their destination without even stopping once at any other floors. Lucario held the door for them again, only exiting the elevator once they've both stepped out. He observed them as they walked hurriedly out of the building's main entrance and into a large and shiny brown car parked outside, perhaps to avoid being spotted by the many reporters still lurking around the premises.

And they were gone.

Lucario looked around, searching for his friends. There were relatively few people around the building compared to earlier, but he couldn't see Absol or Eevee anywhere. To his surprise, though, he saw Charles a distance away, talking to a woman reporter – the one who had left her recording device in Kaori's room earlier. She seemed intimidated by Charles, but there was a fierce determination emitting from her. Charles, on the other hand, was frowning as he listened to the woman.

Before he could eavesdrop on their conversation, he heard someone calling his name. Lucario turned to the source of the voice; Absol was at the entrance of the cafeteria, with Eevee sitting at his side. "Over here!"

Lucario rushed over, almost bumping into a group of important-looking people in the process. Upon reaching them, Absol grinned. "What, human-bowling your new hobby now?"

"No, Absol, listen to this: I've been –"

"Intruding on matters not concerning you," Eevee said, finishing his sentence for him.

"No – well, yeah, but wait, hear me out first. I've been listening in on their conversation, and apparently, Kaori's dad wants her to star in yet another movie. She isn't too happy about it, and just before they got up to leave, a brief thought entered her head: she was contemplating running away tomorrow!"

Absol tilted his head, looking sceptical. "Are you sure, Lucario?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure if she really meant it," he replied, ignoring Eevee as she scoffed. "But what if she does decide to run away? Her father won't be around in the morning, her mother is still at Jubilife, and she'll be alone with the cook. She could easily sneak off, you never know."

"And miss the concert?" Absol asked.

"I don't think she cares much about the concert, if truth be told. Oh, but," he said excitedly, a new thought surfacing in his mind, "what if she's escaping so that she can start her journey as a trainer? She's almost of age, after all."

Eevee shook her head and snorted disdainfully. "How? She is famous. Think about it, Lucario. Where would she go? People everywhere would recognise her, and she'd be caught in no time. As for being a trainer, that would mean walking right into gyms, where everyone can see her."

"Hmm…" Lucario considered Eevee's line of reasoning; she brought up a good point. "What if she escaped to a different region then? She might not be as famous elsewhere."

"How would she get there? Fly? By sea? Travelling between regions using Pokémon can be risky, especially without HMs, and I doubt she will be foolish enough to attempt that." Eevee paused. "And don't even bother suggesting airplanes or ships. There's no way she could pull that off without anyone noticing unless she becomes a stowaway, and that's breaking the law."

"I guess so… though I'm still a little concerned."

"You're reading too much into this, Lucario," she said firmly. "It's probably an idle thought. She won't act on it."

"I hope you're right," said Lucario thoughtfully, folding his arms. He had just remembered something else; according to Mr. Sato, his wife would be coming for a visit the next day. Would Kaori be willing to run away with that in mind, thereby not getting to meet her mother? Or was this just a ruse to get her parents worried? "But still…"

"Well, fine!" She huffed exasperatedly, turning her back to Lucario. "Don't listen to me!"

"Eevee, I didn't mean it that way… I'm just thinking… wouldn't it be more prudent to go and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid?"

"You know," Absol piped up, "it's pretty much a lose-lose situation for her. Even if she doesn't run away, she'll only be returning to the lifestyle she hates so much."

Lucario looked at him. "So… are you saying it's better for her to run?"

"No, that's not what I was trying to imply. Like I said, it's a lose-lose situation."

"Well, let's not think about that now," Lucario said, glancing around the cafeteria. There were very few people and Pokémon as opposed to earlier; in fact, there were only four occupied tables. Will was at one of them, with a smartly-dressed man Lucario presumed to be the boy's father. "I'm thinking of heading to her home tomorrow, just to keep a lookout."

Eevee wheeled around. "Aha!" She raised an accusatory paw at Lucario, triumph flashing in her eyes. "Your true colours shine through at last!"

"What true colours?" He held out his arm. "These _are_ my natural fur colours."

"You're just trying to break into her home!" She shook her head, as though expressing her disappointment in him. "I should have known. No wonder you were so insistent."

"That's not true at all!" Lucario said indignantly. "I'm genuinely concerned for her! My intentions are sincere!"

She snorted, clearly not buying his words. "Yeah, right. Do you even know where her house is?"

"No, but I bet Wolf does. He said it was around the northern area, near the stadium where she'll be performing." Lucario placed his paws on his hips and smirked. "Why, does someone want to come?"

The Evolution Pokémon bared her fangs, but quickly turned away when Absol shot her a quizzical look. It was fun being able to tease Eevee without having to fear backlash for once, though he shouldn't push his luck too far. Deciding to stop before he overstepped his boundaries, he directed his gaze to the Mightyena and sent a telepathic message, "_Wolf, can you come here for a moment?_"

Wolf fell off the chair he was sitting on and looked around wildly. He soon found Lucario near the entrance, beckoning him over. The Aura Pokémon looked slightly guilty.

Both Will and his father turned to the Pokémon in astonishment. "What's wrong, Wolf?"

The black- and grey-furred Pokémon shook his head before gesturing at Lucario with a paw. Will nodded to show that he understood, and the Mightyena padded away from the table towards the fighting-type, looking curious.

"Hello again, Lucario," he said pleasantly, wagging his tail. "Is anything the matter?"

Lucario bowed apologetically. "I'm so sorry for giving you a shock, Wolf, but I have something urgent to discuss with you."

"It's no big deal, really. So, what is it?"

"Well, you see, I'm able to read emotions, memories and thoughts of other people and Pokémon…"

Wolf nodded, not showing any signs of surprise. "Yeah, you mentioned something like that the last time we met. Something about aura reading, was it not?"

Lucario's face lit up. "You remembered! Yes, that is correct. The thing is… I've been… well…" He paused, struggling for words.

"Spying," Eevee offered.

"Eavesdropping?" Absol suggested.

He glared at them both. "Well, I suppose that's one way to put it. Anyway, yes, that was why I did not follow all of you down earlier." He pressed on quickly, eager to defend his actions. "But you see, I've unearthed something important. Kaori seems to be cracking under the pressure – she's thinking of running away tomorrow!"

"Running away?" Wolf seemed dubious about Lucario's claims. "That'd be bad… but are you sure?"

Eevee stepped forward. "I think he's being paranoid. There's no way she could run away and elude everyone for long. But Lucario's stubborn as always."

Wolf chuckled. "Well, that's true… Not the part about you being stubborn, I mean, but –"

"You think so too, Wolf?" Lucario asked, dismayed that his fears were being taken lightly. "What if she does run away?"

"Luc, I've been waiting a long time to say this." Absol smiled broadly, looking as though he was trying his hardest not to laugh. "You worry too much."

"Ah… you got me…"

Wolf cleared his throat. "Though, you know, however unlikely it may be, I deem it unwise to ignore the warning sign altogether."

"Exactly!" Lucario said happily.

"The best thing we can do is to notify someone," Wolf said.

"Her father?" Lucario proposed. "He could look after her."

"I don't know the man that well, but I'm afraid he would ask her directly if he gets wind of this. That might just antagonise her, especially if she wasn't seriously considering it in the first place. I'm thinking of Pearly, actually."

"But she's currently stuck in her Poké Ball… and she won't be there all the time to keep an eye on Kaori," Lucario pointed out.

"True, but if Kaori ever runs away, it's guaranteed that she'll take Pearly with her. Informing Pearly would ensure that she, Pearly, will be mentally prepared should such an event occur," Wolf reasoned. "Yes, she definitely needs to be told. I'll tell her tomorrow when I meet her at the concert."

"Okay, I guess that's the best way forward." A thought then came to Lucario. "What about before the concert? There's a big window of opportunity for Kaori to escape, seeing as her parents won't be around."

Wolf blinked in surprise. "What do you mean? I know about her mother, but won't her father be taking her – oh, wait," he closed his eyes, "I remember now. That weird man said something to that effect. But it's only for a few hours – she'll be fetched to the concert shortly after."

"It's these few hours that are most critical," Lucario argued. "In her thoughts, she wanted to run tomorrow, and that's probably because she knew she would be left to her own devices before the concert. Well, the cook will be home, but that's only one person, and she could sneak away with ease."

"That's true. Ah well… it's only a few hours, no big deal. I'll keep a lookout, and then I'll pass the baton to Pearly."

"At her home?" From the corner of his eyes, Lucario could see Eevee making her opinion known by shaking her head reproachfully. "Can I come with you?"

"Sure, no problem." Wolf paused, as though considering something. "Though you understand that we're not going to show ourselves, don't you?"

"Why not?"

"If we leave her alone, we can gauge how serious this problem is by observing her actions," Wolf explained. "Should we make our presence known, she definitely won't run, but it'd be hard to tell whether she truly wants to or not. Best thing to do is identify her intentions, and then we can nip the problem in its bud. Get my drift, Lucario?"

Lucario could not help but feel impressed by the Mightyena's astuteness. Perhaps his travels had made him worldly-wise. "Oh. Okay then. So, um… I don't know where her house is, so…"

"That's fine." Wolf circled around the spot. "We'll meet outside this here building at seven in the morning, and when all is said and done, we can head to the concert together. How about it?"

"Okay. I don't have a clock, but I'll come early. Is Will coming too?"

"I doubt it; he's going to help his father with something at the concert." He grinned. "Besides, he's too impatient for this sort of stuff. And it'd look really suspicious if we were discovered with him along. If it was just us, we could act like we're merely roaming around innocently. Ah, being a Pokémon has its perks, you know. I'm glad I wasn't born a human."

"That's true," Lucario said, laughing along. "Free bus rides, free entrance to the concert… I see what you mean."

"I know; great, isn't it? Anyway, if there's nothing else, I'll see you tomorrow then, Lucario."

"Right. Bye, Wolf. And thanks."

"No problem. Thanks for confiding in me."

Once Wolf left the group, Eevee rounded on Lucario, though she seemed unable to say anything. Deciding that he had teased her enough for the day, he said, "So, the two of you are coming with me, right?"

"I'm coming?" Absol asked in surprise.

"Of course!" Lucario looked at him intently. "We could go straight to the concert later." He focused his attention to the Evolution Pokémon. "You will come too, won't you, Eevee? It is not often we get a chance to attend a concert. It'll be fun!"

Eevee hesitated. "Well…"

"I'll take that as a 'yes', then. So, we'll meet at the usual spot early in the morning, okay? Don't be late like last time."

She emitted a low growl, but made no protests.

He waved his paw. "See you tomorrow then, Eevee. Or do you want us to escort you back to the forest? That trainer might still be around."

"I can take care of myself, thank you very much!" she barked, swishing her tail arrogantly as she took her leave, not bothering to bid them goodbye.

"You're welcome!" Lucario replied cheerfully, waving both his arms in a wide arc over his head.

"Hey, Luc," Absol whispered, eyeing Eevee warily as though she would suddenly spin around and lunge at them. "Is it just me, or is Eevee behaving very weirdly today?"

Lucario laughed lightly. "What are you talking about, Absol? That's the way Eevee behaves _every _day."

**:::::::::::::::::::**

They met Wolf in front of the building the next morning, looking as though he lacked proper sleep. Nonetheless, he was cheerful as he greeted the trio. Together, they left for Kaori's house, which was moderately near according to Wolf. What with being from another region, Lucario found it impressive that the Mightyena seemed to know the city's layout as though it were the back of his paw. In fact, Lucario suspected the dark-type's knowledge of the city surpassed his own.

Lucario would readily describe himself as adventurous, always eager to explore. And yet, it just dawned on him that he rarely ventured out to new places. Be it the forest or the city, he always roamed around the same old circles: the lake, his mountain, Xatu's sanctuary, the outskirts, and once in a while, the downtown district. Very rarely did he head out of his 'comfort zones' alone. For instance, had Eevee not brought him along to aid her in her game, he would not have rediscovered his hatch-place. Neither would he have been to the beach nor park if he did not ride the bus with Wolf in his first human-watching session.

And now, once again, he was being brought to a section of the city he had never been before: the northern parts of Ferrous City. When Lucario voiced this out to the Mightyena, Wolf glanced at him in surprise.

"But you've been here before! Didn't you drop off at the park the other day?"

"The park is in the northern section?"

"Well, to be more precise, it's around the northeast, but same difference, right?" Wolf then went on to talk about various landmarks found at the particular area including the beach he had once been to, a port for ferries transporting people between Ferrous City and Canalave City, and a game centre. How ironic, Lucario thought – the tourist being the tour guide.

Wolf's speech did not last long, stopping abruptly after he paused to yawn. He never picked up where he left off, but merely led the way ahead in silence. Lucario could sense that, like him, the Mightyena was no early bird. Eevee, too, was surprisingly somnolent, her eyelids drooping occasionally as she followed them. He quite thought that she had forced herself to wake up early in order to tag along.

Absol, on the other hand, was the only one looking fresh and alert, staring around at the bare streets with interest.

"Almost there," Wolf muttered softly to no one in particular.

"Had breakfast yet, Wolf?" Lucario asked as he threw the tails of his scarf backwards. The morning air was chilly as usual, and it was times like this that he was glad for his scarf and coat of fur. "I forgot to bring something for you, sorry."

"No matter," he assured, shaking his head. "I'm not hungry."

After that, none of them spoke again until they reached their destination. Lucario had been expecting a mansion much like Greg's, and he was not disappointed. It was located at quite a secluded area; Wolf had to take them through a road that deviated from a small housing area at the city to reach it. The mansion was the only thing located at the end of the path, as though the road itself was built just for the manor.

Through the gaps in the iron gate, he could see a large garden stretched out in front of him, filled with a variety of berry trees, fruit trees, and even a small section of bonsai plants. The place was decorated with tons of Bonsly statues, making Lucario wonder if Mr. Sato was a fan of the Pokémon. Whereas Greg's garden contained miniature fountains, this mansion had only one, albeit larger by far. In the centre of it, perched atop a small pillar, was a Dewgong statue, a never-ending stream of water spouting from its mouth.

Then came the house itself. Its coat of beige paint seemed new, as was the shiny red tiles on the roof. But of course – the family did just move here after all. The building itself was not as large as Greg's was, but the garden was significantly bigger. Judging by the foliages visible over the house's roof, Lucario figured that there was more to the garden behind the manor. Perhaps Mr. Sato was a huge gardening enthusiast as well.

"It's amazing," Lucario said softly, staring at the garden in awe. "A star really earns a lot, huh?"

Wolf chuckled. "Yes, but Kaori's parents are working too. Together, the whole family generates quite the income."

"Your human's father is quite a bigwig too, right?" Lucario stared at Wolf. "I bet you live in a mansion as well, don't you?"

"You got it," Wolf said, laughing. "But before that, I was a wild Pokémon, just like you."

"So which was better? Life with a human, or in the wild?"

"I…" Wolf stopped and looked thoughtful, his grin fading away. He seemed bothered by the question. "I actually don't know. I'm sorry, Lucario. That is a question I cannot answer."

"It's okay," Lucario said hurriedly, startled by the sudden change in Wolf's mood. He immediately wished he hadn't asked. Trying to change the topic, he said loudly to Eevee, "So, what do you think of the house, Eevee?"

Eevee, who had been staring at the Bonsly statues in apparent disgust, turned to Lucario. "I have no opinion whatsoever."

"Wow. Coming from you, Eevee, that's akin to a compliment."

"Say, Lucario," Absol said, his eyes fixed on the house. Lucario followed his friend's gaze; it was too far to see clearly, but he could make out an unmistakable figure through a window on the ground floor. "Why don't you try seeing if she really plans to run away?"

"Oh, that's right, I totally forgot the reason why we came here in the first place," he said sheepishly. With his eyes closed, Lucario directed his senses towards the mansion, picking up the waves from the unknown individual that was visible through the window. It was not Kaori, but a man whom Lucario did not recognise. The stranger was not alone, however; the Aura Pokémon could sense the presence of Kaori and Pearl in the same room.

Kaori was running her hand through Pearl's fur. The Purugly, sitting on the chair besides the girl, was eating some berries off the flat dish placed on the table in front of her. Also on the table was a plate covered with crumbs; Lucario assumed that Kaori had already finished her meal.

The stranger, an old man with a heavily-wrinkled face, walked over to the table and placed a glass of milk in front of Kaori. "Here you go, Kaori. Drink it while it's warm."

"Thank you, Derek!" she said happily, taking the glass and drinking its contents immediately. Kaori appeared to be in a bright mood, and Lucario took that as a positive sign. Judging by her pyjamas and uncombed hair, he deduced that she had just woken up.

The man smiled, taking the plate off the table. "Would you like some more food? You have a show coming up; you need the energy."

She lowered the glass. "No, thank you. I don't think I can eat anymore."

"That so?" Derek said, moving to the sink. "Nervous?"

"A little," she admitted, placing the glass down and leaning forward on the table. "I didn't expect so many people to show up yesterday. There's only bound to be more at the concert."

"Well, many people would love to be in your shoes, you know," he said, chuckling lightly as he began soaping the dish. "You're still so young, and you already have it made. Your future is pretty much secure."

She pouted at his words. "I don't like it though. And if this is what my future will be like… I really don't want to think about it. D'you know, sometimes I wonder why I don't just run away from it all…" She made a sweeping gesture with her hand, as though waving her cares away.

There came a clatter as the dish slipped out of Derek's grip and fell into the sink. He spun around quickly to face the girl, his hands still covered with soap suds. "You shouldn't joke about things like that, Kaori…" he said sharply, scrutinising her. Even Pearl had stopped eating to look at her human partner.

A mischievous grin suddenly spread across her features. She rested her elbows on the table and gazed intently at the man. "Hey, Derek, we're alone in the house now. What will you do if I decide to run away? Will you stop me?"

"Kaori," he said hurriedly as he moved towards her, some of the suds on his hands falling down to the tiled floor. "Please don't… That is just… I can't even…"

She laughed, getting off the chair as she tried to avoid Derek, who was trying to get a hold of her shoulders. "I was only joking! I admit that I've thought about running every once in a while, but don't worry, I won't!"

That statement came as a huge relief to both Derek and Lucario.

The man heaved a sigh as he walked back towards the sink to wash his hands and get a cloth for the mess on the floor. "Really, Kaori… you shouldn't joke about things like that. Running away is never the solution, you know."

"But things cannot remain like this – I cannot take it anymore." She walked to her seat and resumed her stroking of Pearl's fur. "I don't want to follow this road; I want to take a detour! Mommy's coming later. I think I'll have a talk with my parents. Yeah, that's what I'll do."

"Hmm… I hope your talk goes well, then."

"By the way, why don't you come to the concert with me? Then I could chat with you in the car – Charles is such a bore."

He turned around again, eyebrows raised. "I would love to, but have you forgotten? I may be the cook, but today, I'm here to guard the house. You do know that there are some problems with the alarm system, right?"

"We could just lock all the doors. What are the chances of a thief coming in here, anyway?"

"Oh, believe me, I would love to go and watch you perform. But I'm afraid I really can't leave the house alone." He flashed a thumbs-up. "I'm sure you'll do –"

Derek left the sentence hanging as he peered out of the window. A long distance away, the iron gate was creaking slightly as it began to swing open. A man was getting out of a black car, walking towards a group of Pokémon.

"Hey, Kaori, I think Charles is here!"

The girl leapt to her feet, running over to the window. "What? That early? I'm not even ready yet!" She gasped. "Oh, I need to hide Pearly in her Poké Ball!"

A sharp jab jolted Lucario back to his senses. "Luc," he heard Absol say, "quick snap out of it! Someone's here!"

He opened his eyes hurriedly, immediately made aware of a loud whirring sound coming from the engine of a black car in front of him. A man in a brown suit was rushing over to them, waving his arm in an irritable manner.

"This is private property!" he yelled. "No one is allowed here, especially wild Pokémon!"

Eevee and Absol took a step back while Wolf lowered his body and growled. Lucario strode forward and pointed at the scarf wrapped around his neck.

"I don't care if you're not wild – you need to clear off! Shoo! Don't let me catch you here again!"

Lucario glared at the man before turning to the Mightyena. "Come, Wolf, let's go. I've checked, Kaori won't run. Our job is done."

Wolf huffed, his eyes still fixed upon the man. "He clearly does not recognise me. Well, all right then. We can head to the concert right away, if you want, even though it's still quite early."

Lucario nodded his agreement and motioned for his friends to follow as they left the area. The man adjusted his suit and looked around, apparently checking to see if there were more intruders. He then headed to the car's back seat. A quick aura scan told Lucario that Charles was the driver of the vehicle, but strangely enough, there were two others – the man in the brown suit not included – with him. He was not too knowledgeable on the matter, but the Aura Pokémon thought it strange that Kaori needed a total of four bodyguards for a short trip to the stadium. Perhaps stars like her are more susceptible to danger; he had never considered that before.

Charles' window was wound down, and he was staring at the group intently through his shades. Based on the way he was looking at them, Lucario figured that the man remembered who they were. Like the man in the brown suit, he scanned the area thoroughly – perhaps expecting to find Will somewhere. Satisfied that there was no one else about, he wound up the window and gazed straight at the mansion.

Upon closer inspection, Lucario found that two of the four individuals had auras he was familiar with. One of them was Charles, of course, but the other he couldn't quite place his paw on… And yet, he was certain he had met that person only recently…

And then it clicked.

"Everyone, please wait a second," he said to the group. All of them paused on their tracks and stared at him curiously, Eevee a little annoyed. "I need to check something."

"What is it, Lucario?" Eevee enquired, her tail flicking about impatiently. "Going to look for something to take as a souvenir?"

"No, no, it's just… something strange is going on. All of you remember, don't you, the reporter from yesterday?"

Absol tilted his head. "Which one? There were so many."

"The one who dropped her recording thingy in Kaori's room."

"Ah, yes, I remember." Absol looked at Lucario. "What about her?"

"She's in the car. I thought she was one of the bodyguards, but I was wrong."

"I see." Absol paused for a moment. "Er… so?"

"Well, I find it strange," Lucario explained. "I mean, why is she even here? You saw how that man was, saying that no one is allowed in there. She's an outsider, and yet she's being _escorted_ in. And didn't she say she would be there at the concert to see Kaori?"

"Maybe they're going to the concert together," Absol offered.

"But why? Surely not for an interview?" He shook his head. "I really can't imagine Charles agreeing to let her tag along. There must be a reason. I'm going to check."

"That man will throw us out again," Eevee said.

"Not if he doesn't see us."

"Well, I'm all for the plan," said Wolf, looking from one to another. "The situation does sound fishy, and I know I shouldn't say this, but there are a lot of despicable humans in this world."

Lucario turned to the Mightyena, surprised at the anger behind those words. He first thought that Wolf was still peeved by the attitude of the brown-suit man, but he sensed a deeper reason for his rage. Eevee, however, looked delighted. "I agree completely! Humans are scum!" And indeed, there was a sudden rush of newfound respect and admiration coming from Eevee. Lucario rolled his eyes.

"Right. So… let's go."

The four of them ran back to the mansion, keeping close to the trees on the side of the road so as to avoid detection. The car was already parked close to the mansion's front door, and Charles could be seen walking in. The other three passengers poured out of the car and walked away to the side, away from the house's entrance. This made Lucario uneasy for some reason.

Speeding up a little, he ran up to the brick fence which encompassed the area and remained there. His friends caught up with him; Absol was looking doubtful while Eevee seemed a little curious. Wolf, on the other hand, had a surprising air of ferocity around him.

Using his aura abilities again, Lucario dived into the mind of the reporter.

_This is for the best._

It was not right. She was a woman of great morals, an upstanding citizen, but look where it got her. Nowhere. It's a cruel world out there, it was said. Eat or be eaten. People fight to get to the top of the hierarchy. There was no room for the weak. Or so she had been told.

Photographs, interviews, she'd done them all. There were times when she was especially proud of herself; securing a private interview session with a huge star, for instance, or being the first to dig up a scandalous story. Why, her latest meeting with Kaori was one such example. A private interview ensured that she was the only one who gets to publish what the star says. Exclusivity. It was important in an industry like hers.

But it wasn't that simple. The battlefield was small, but the combatants aplenty. Most famous stars offer few interview sessions, and it was always a race to see who gets it. Thus far, she had not been too lucky. Her articles, too, were deemed 'not interesting enough' by her boss, even though she poured all her effort into it. And now the boss was dropping some not-so-subtle hints that she'd better do something about it, and fast.

_What I need is a huge story._

She had been lucky to score an interview with Kaori, yes, but she was still doubtful. The little girl was far too kind. Kaori was known to give out plenty of her time to reporters everywhere. It was understandable, of course, as the girl was never too popular before she landed a role in this upcoming movie. Give Kaori a few years, and when her fame increases, it'll be harder to land an interview with her.

But would her boss be willing to wait a few years?

And yet, the interview with Kaori yesterday opened a new path for her. It was an undesirable path, dangerous and obnoxious, but it led to the same destination anyway: success. It was a way to make her name known – Judy Robinson. People would only have to see her name at the top of the article to know that it was something worth reading. To be appreciated, that was her goal.

During the interview yesterday, she used a recorder to tape her conversation with the child star so that she could go back and listen to it again. This was done so as to avoid leaving out important points from the final draft of her article. But that was not enough – throughout the conversation, she had also used a notebook to jot down her observations: Kaori's face expressions, hand gestures, and the likes. After all, simple things like those could become important later on.

It was then that she committed a little crime, one which was pretty much fail-safe. She 'accidentally' left her recording device in Kaori's room, with the record button on. It was a great method to listen in on any private conversations the star might have when Judy was no longer there – a perfect way to uncover a scandal. Not that she was expecting one with Kaori, but it was worth trying. She would retrieve the device later, and even if it was discovered before that, she could claim that it was carelessness on her part for losing it.

The plan went perfectly well. She managed to recover her gadget without anyone suspecting anything. No one even noticed it lying there. With slight anticipation, she then went downstairs to the lobby and pulled out a miniature laptop from her handbag. Judy placed the CD with the recording into it and put on her earphones. Using a digital audio editor to access the contents of the CD, she was pleased to discover that the recording was loud and clear. Though, of course, she did not expect any less – after all, she would use nothing but the finest equipments for her job.

The reporter scrolled to the right; eager to see if anything worthwhile was recorded after the interview. The waveforms there were small, probably catching the sounds of Kaori walking about the room. The private meeting was held before the press conference, but the girl should still be in her room for a while.

She scrolled further, feelings of disappointment rising within her. There didn't seem to be anything important at all. And then she found a spike in the waveforms, near the end of the recording. Kaori should have been at the conference at that time, so it couldn't have been the girl. Who, then, was in the room at that moment?

Judy highlighted that part of the recording and played it, pushing her earphones deeper so as to hear better. It started with a mobile phone ringing. The ringing soon stopped, followed by the voice of a man.

"I have expressed countless times not to call me here! You're very lucky I'm alone now, you know that?"

It was a voice Judy recognised. During the interview with Kaori, there was a man with her – Charles, if what she recalled was correct. Curious as to what could have upset the level-headed bodyguard, she continued listening to the conversation.

And the more she heard, the more she knew she had to speak to this man. She had struck gold at last, but was this something she would want to get involved in? Perhaps. She had taken the first step – might as well go all the way.

As such, she waited at the lobby, looking forward to – and yet, dreading – the confrontation she would have with Charles a while later. She knew she would have to get the man alone, and she was slightly disappointed when he came out of the elevator with the boy and Pokémon she'd seen in Kaori's room. To her relief, however, they went separate ways.

She made her move immediately, walking up to him swiftly while holding her bag in front of her almost in a defensive manner. Charles stopped in his tracks, his facial expression unchanging.

"My name is Judy Robinson," she said tensely. "I was the one interviewing Kaori earlier."

"Yes, I am aware of that." There was a hint of impatience in his voice. "Is anything the matter?"

Here, Judy paused. There was still time to turn back. But she dispelled the last of her doubts away, strengthening her resolve to do whatever was needed to further her career. She took a deep breath and said hurriedly, "I know of your plans."

She saw the slightest of a flinch, and was glad that her statement elicited such a response. Capitalising on his moment of weakness, she pressed on, more confident this time, "Involving Kaori tomorrow."

"I assure you I have no idea what you are talking about."

"That's where you're wrong. I can prove it – I have evidence right here. I heard you talking on the phone in Kaori's room while she was at the conference."

He paused, his mouth opened slightly. At last, he folded his arms and said sharply, "Is that what reporters do these days? Planting bugs in superstars' rooms? Wouldn't doing things like this land you in trouble? Or do work ethics mean nothing nowadays?"

"I believe, my good sir, that you are in no position to lecture me about ethics. As for landing in trouble…" She gave a short laugh. "Yes, in a manner of speaking, I did plant a bug, but that is nothing compared to what you have planned for tomorrow."

Charles quickly took a quick glance around, making sure they were out of earshot. "All right, out with it. Name your demands, but let me warn you: don't get carried away. It would not do to underestimate me. I am complying merely to avoid unnecessary hassle. If need be," he leaned closer and whispered menacingly, "I can erase anything obstructing my way."

The threat did not humble Judy in the slightest. "You needn't worry. In fact, you'll only be too happy to satisfy my requests. Let me tell you why…"

The present-day Judy wiped the lens of her camera absently, gazing up at the house in front of her. The rich had it good, she thought. However, their place at the top of the hierarchy was not guaranteed. There would always be someone ready to challenge their status, attempting to take over the throne. The higher you were, the harder you would fall…

But she was thinking too much. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she sank back into the shadows of the tree she was hiding behind. Charles was now inside the building, though why he was taking so long she did not know. His two other friends were lying in wait a short distance away from her – they were throwing her looks of distrust, a gesture which she ignored.

The plan was simple. Charles' original job was to be an escort, ensuring that Kaori gets to the concert safely. For reasons unknown, he had decided to deviate from that plan, ditching his position of bodyguard to become the danger he was supposed to protect Kaori from. Today, he would assume the role of kidnapper.

Panic began to fill Lucario's mind; once again, he had found himself in a sticky situation. Before he could pull out of the woman's thoughts, Judy began thinking about the kidnapping plot.

The initial plan was for Charles to just come into the mansion and fetch her away. In doing so, he was throwing cautions to the wind – everyone would guess that he was the culprit when he disappeared with Kaori. Surprisingly, he was fine with that, and Judy suspected that the man planned to leave the region and start life anew elsewhere.

But then Judy came into the picture, and things changed. What she wanted was a good scoop. A whole set of news which only she could provide. By obtaining that recording of Charles' conversation, she could have gone straight to the police and get him convicted, but there was little to gain from that.

Firstly, it was true, she would get recognition as the woman who prevented the kidnapping of a star, but it would be short-lived. No one really remembers names like these, and she was certain she would fade back into obscurity sooner or later. In addition, her story would not be considered exclusive anymore. Everyone would be writing about the failed kidnapping, and her article would be lost among the crowd. Even though she was – in a way – the star of the story, there was nothing much she could do to make her piece stand out from the rest. "I left my recorder in her room, stumbled upon this conspiracy, and went to the police." Boring. At most, she would be a one-hit wonder.

Ah, but what if she cooperated with Charles? She would be a witness to the crime, right here at the mansion. The moment the kidnapping took place, she would snap some shots. Exclusive photos, check. She could then write a first-hand account of what went down in the star's home. Exclusive story, check. And she would ensure that she was the only one up-to-date with recent developments on the kidnapping – perhaps have Charles plant fake evidence, and then have herself accidentally-on-purpose finding them. And there was her series of exclusive, enthralling articles, sure to cement her name in the industry.

There was also an added incentive for Charles to let her in on this scheme. As a witness, she could testify about how Kaori was abducted by two strangers – that's what Charles' friends were here to do. And her photos would prove it. Obviously, their faces would be obscured, though they, like Charles, did not seem too concerned about concealing their identity.

She would then testify about how she and Charles tried to stop them, but to no avail. This was a masterstroke, as it would lift all suspicions on Charles, letting him go about his devious plans without worrying about the heat. In turn, he would corroborate with her story, thereby alleviating any doubts thrown her way as well. Having testimonies from two people would make a lot of difference, especially since they had no apparent connection with each other.

As such, the stage was set, and the script finalised. Judy was to claim that she was in the area to take some photos of Kaori's mansion from afar, when in actuality she was in the mansion grounds. The two men would then leap out, blindfold Kaori, and shove her into the car. After the successful kidnapping, Judy was to phone the police and give a description of a nonexistent car, stating that the criminals had made off with Kaori in it.

She would then claim that Charles had left in his black car to pursue the kidnappers. Seeing as Charles wanted to personally fetch Kaori to his hideout, wherever it was, saying this would excuse his – and the black car's – absence from the scene of the crime. Judy herself would be to remain there, waiting for the police.

As Kaori would be blindfolded the whole time, the child star would not even know that Charles was involved. All the man had to do was keep quiet the whole time, but that was of no concern to Judy. That was his business; he could screw up for all she cared, as long as she was not implicated by any folly of his.

Ah, there was Kaori, stepping out of the house now. Charles was behind her, a Poké Ball in his hand. The show was starting – Judy knew that he had sent out his Gloom to take care of the cook. She tightened her grip on the camera. The moment the two men blindfolded Kaori, she would step out of her hiding place and take action.

_Everything is in place. Let the show begin._

Lucario returned back to his own mind with a yell, startling his three companions.

"Luc, what is it?" Absol asked quickly.

"Lucario," Wolf said, his voice low and menacing, "something is amiss. Trouble is afoot."

"No time to explain!" Lucario brushed his way past Absol and peered around the brick fence. The two men were already making their way towards Kaori, the girl staring at them in surprise. Charles was yelling convincingly, though stepping backwards as one of the men clasped his hand over Kaori's mouth. The other was placing the blindfold over her eyes. "We have to move, quick!"

"I'm on it!" Wolf rushed past Lucario and into the grounds.

The Aura Pokémon turned to Absol and Eevee, who were both apparently stunned by what was going on. "Absol, Eevee, I'm going in too – are you coming?"

Absol nodded and ran up to Lucario's side. Eevee, however, hesitated slightly. "I… all right, I'll come, but –"

Lucario nodded and turned to stare at the scene. Wolf had made his presence known by letting out a loud howl. A dark ball of energy began forming around his mouth, and he shot the Shadow Ball towards the two men, but missing on purpose so as to avoid hurting Kaori.

The men jumped away, releasing their hold on the girl. As Lucario ran to join Wolf, Kaori quickly pulled off her blindfold and stared around bewilderedly. Judy had stepped out of her hiding place, camera still in hand. Abandoning all pretence, Charles yelled, "Get her!"

Kaori screamed, running quickly around the house and towards the back. The two men made to chase her, but were stopped by another Shadow Ball from Wolf. This time, the attack connected, and the both of them were sent flying to the side, where they lay motionless. Seeing this, a wave of panic erupted from Judy – Kaori had seen her, and they were under attack. Everything had gone wrong. The reporter tossed the camera aside and ran after Kaori, retrieving a Poké Ball from her bag as she did so.

Before Lucario could chase Judy, a distraction came in the form of a Gloom, waddling out of the front door, blue spores coming out from the rafflesia-like flower atop his head. Lucario recognised this substance as Sleep Powder, and knew what must have happened to Derek.

The Gloom stared at everyone in surprise, and at this point, Charles took out several Poké Balls from the pockets in his suit, tossing them all onto the ground. The devices emitted bright flashes of light, which soon diminished to reveal a whole group of Pokémon.

First in line was a towering Magmortar, spurts of flame emitting from both of his cannon-like arms. Catching sight of Lucario, he took a step forward, the flames disappearing to reveal dangerous-looking claws. He pounded on his massive red-and-yellow chest with an arm, his pink lips curving into a leer. Apparently, he had marked Lucario as his first would-be victim.

Next was a Lopunny, looking slightly insignificant next to the huge Magmortar, though Lucario knew that size was never a mark of a Pokémon's strength. Her arms were folded as she glanced around the area with seemingly little interest.

Third was a Toxicroak, his sharp yellow eyes scanning the battlefield quickly. A sudden rush of hatred came from behind Lucario, and the Aura Pokémon understood. He doubted this was the same Toxicroak that Absol's father had fought in the past, but Absol probably developed feelings of ill will towards the species since that incident.

The fourth opponent was a Vespiquen, her whitish wings beating rapidly as she hovered high above the ground. The red gem on her head was gleaming in the morning sun, and she began flying in a figure-eight pattern around the Magmortar and Lopunny, glaring menacingly at all her enemies.

And finally, with a deafening roar, a Gabite leapt upwards and sank his right claw into the ground, baring his fangs as he apparently sized up all his opponents. After a while, he straightened up and glared straight towards Lucario – no fair, the blue-furred fighter thought.

As a group, each of the five Pokémon looked incredibly daunting, and it wasn't until the Gloom at the doorway released a puff of pollen did Lucario realise that there were, in fact, six opponents in all. Though outnumbered, Absol had proven before that he was able to hold his own against multiple enemies. Lucario was confident that Wolf, too, had enough experience in battling to cope. Eevee, however, he had never seen fight before.

He turned behind to stare at her; the Evolution Pokémon looked petrified. "Eevee," he whispered urgently, "have you ever fought in a battle before?"

She shook her head, her tail thumping repeatedly on the ground.

"Well… you should get out of here as quickly as –"

"I won't run away!" Her outburst caused all six of the opposing group to stare at her, which in turn made her cower.

"Okay… um… do your best and get away quick if the situation looks hopeless. Just… just do what you always do to me, all right? Pretend they are all me, offending you in one way or another." He gave a comforting smile, and she nodded. Turning to Absol, he said, "Ready, Absol?"

"Born ready." Absol flattened his body, pawing the ground. "It'll be like the time we first met, huh, Luc?"

He nodded and raised both of his paws in an upright boxing stance. "Let's hope we get through this in one piece. And let's hope Kaori has Pearl with her…" Wolf, who was standing a distance away from Lucario, caught the Aura Pokémon's eye. They both nodded, and dark energy began forming in Wolf's mouth once more. A second later, he had shot the Shadow Ball towards the group, who scattered immediately.

The battle had begun.

Before Lucario could make a move, Absol had rushed past him, heading straight for the Toxicroak. Wolf was taking two at once: the Lopunny and the Vespiquen. Eevee scooted off to help him, though she still seemed to have the jitters. Strangely enough, the Gloom decided not to do anything, and merely stood at the door, watching the fight unfold.

Charles was yelling out commands, though Lucario could not quite make out what the man was saying; he was too focused on his own adversary. The Magmortar was lumbering over towards him, wagging a claw. "Come over here, kiddo, this won't take long."

Lucario took a cautious step backwards, aware that the fountain was just behind him. Magmortar was closing in on the Aura Pokémon, but of greater concern was the Gabite, who Lucario realised had just burrowed underground. Using his aura senses, he knew that the dragon-type was also targeting him, moving through the ground at an alarming speed.

Lucario's attention snapped back to the Magmortar as the huge Blast Pokémon raised both arms and began shooting fireballs wildly. He managed to avoid the first few spheres of flame, and he knew that Magmortar was not really aiming to gun him down – the fire-type just wanted to keep Lucario on his toes.

It was quite a good tactic of Magmortar's – Lucario was forcefully reminded of the time when he battled Houndoom: the onslaught of flames had prevented him from getting close to his opponent. And now, what with the never-ending barrage of fireballs and the predator lurking beneath the ground, Lucario knew that he could not afford to stop running.

But constantly running away was not a good solution either. He was bound to tire sooner or later, and when that happened, his game was over. The only plausible way out he could think of was to bring the offensive to his opponents. Gritting his teeth, Lucario dashed forwards, occasionally swerving left and right to dodge the next set of flames. Magmortar's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, the fire-type looked slightly fearful, until –

Lucario yelled as a searing pain spread throughout his body. One of Magmortar's fireballs had finally hit its target, sending Lucario flying into a flowerbed adorned with Bonsly statues.

For a moment, Lucario was rendered immobile, and he lay there in the middle of the flowerbed, gasping for air. He was especially weak to fire attacks, and if he were to get hit once more… He then remembered his scarf, and he hastened to check it. A tiny flame had caught on at its end, and he extinguished it with his paw.

Was it his imagination, or did he really hear the ground below him rumble? Suddenly remembering the Gabite, Lucario managed to roll away in time – the dragon-type burst out from the earth with claws outstretched, only succeeding in uprooting several flowers. Without missing a beat, the dragon-type continued the assault by attempting to slash the Aura Pokémon with the fins on his arms.

Unable to get back onto his feet, Lucario did the only thing he could to defend himself: he summoned his trusty bone-shaped staff, which materialised just in time to parry the oncoming attack. Even then, however, it was a test of strength between the two Pokémon as Gabite began pushing his arm forward, forcing the staff towards Lucario. The blue-furred fighter could feel his muscles burning – any minute now and they would give way…

"Lucario!"

Lucario turned his head to the source of the sound. Absol was running towards him, the scythe on his head glowing. With a forceful swing, he sent a gust of wind flying towards Gabite, knocking the dragon to the ground.

With a grunt, Lucario quickly scrambled back up on his feet. "Thanks, Absol!"

"No pro—"

"Don't chase me, don't chase me, don't chase me!" Eevee yelled as she ran by in front of Absol.

Vespiquen swooped around, attempting to grab the Evolution Pokémon, looking extremely frustrated. "I won't chase you," she hissed, lunging forward and missing her target, grasping a fistful of air instead, "if you would just stop running away!"

"Eevee!"

"Don't worry, Luc," Absol said, looking slightly amused. "I'll help her."

He bounded off towards Vespiquen, while Toxicroak appeared a short while later, pursuing Absol. The poison-type appeared to be severely battered, though determination was still flaring in his yellow eyes. What a messy battle, Lucario thought.

Gabite grunted, and Lucario turned back to him. The dragon glared at his opponent for a second before digging downwards once more. Lucario leapt away from the flowerbed, knowing that it was time to keep moving again.

Running back to the fountain in the middle of the garden, Lucario saw that Wolf had taken over the battle with Magmortar, clawing away at the Blast Pokémon. Behind them, Charles was shouting at Gloom, probably egging the Pokémon on to join the battle. Beyond them, way past the mansion, Lucario could detect Pearl's presence, and knew she was probably doing her best to protect Kaori from Judy. He had to leave the child's safety in her paws… his plate was quite full at the moment.

Magmortar shoved Wolf off and aimed his arm-cannon at the dark-type. There was a blast of fire, but Wolf dodged it by somersaulting into the air, launching a Shadow Ball as he did so. The attack hit Magmortar squarely on the chest, causing him to stumble backwards. Unfortunately, Wolf was unable to follow-up on his assault, as Lopunny promptly attempted to get a few kicks in at the Mightyena.

With the Magmortar stunned, Lucario saw his chance. Dashing forward, with the Gabite still hot on his tail underground, Lucario summoned his bone staff again. The Magmortar saw him coming and shot two quick fireballs from his arms, but the Aura Pokémon was ready for that.

He stabbed his staff into the ground, and like an athlete would in a pole vault competition, launched himself up into the air over both fireballs, flying in an arc before landing on top of the Magmortar. The fire-type managed to remain standing somehow; Lucario could feel the intense heat emitting from the Pokémon's body, but he held on tightly as he wrapped his legs around Magmortar's neck, choking him.

Magmortar tried to pull Lucario off him, but the fighting-type refused to let go. Magmortar began sputtering, and the Aura Pokémon delivered a few punches to his head for good measure.

Sensing that the Gabite was drawing close, Lucario placed his paw on Magmortar's neck, releasing a burst of energy which knocked the fire-type onto the ground, while Lucario himself was launched upwards into the air once again. His timing couldn't have been better – Gabite burst out from the ground with an uppercut, aiming for Lucario, but hitting Magmortar instead.

Surprised, Gabite looked upwards at the Lucario, who was still airborne, the tails of his scarf flapping wildly. Lucario grinned as he conjured the bone staff in his paws. The Aura Pokémon then allowed gravity to pull him back down to the ground, where he swung as hard as he could at Gabite. There was a loud _thwack_ as the dragon was sent flying, only to land on top of Magmortar.

Both of his opponents got up simultaneously as Lucario paused to catch his breath. Magmortar was chiding Gabite, who made an angry retort with a threatening shake of his arm. The two set aside their differences rather quickly though, and turned to Lucario again.

Lucario gulped, but felt something furry brush up against his side. It was Wolf, panting slightly, but otherwise looking unharmed. "Need some help, Lucario?"

He grinned, glad at the Bite Pokémon's timely arrival. "I would appreciate it. What about your previous opponent though?"

"Managed to knock her out," he said, jerking his head towards the Lopunny huddled up near the front door. He suddenly gave an involuntary shiver. "I never want to see another Lopunny again. And your Eevee friend helped me with that bug; thank her later for me."

"Enough talking!" Gabite shouted, kicking the ground in front of him, sending some earth flying upwards. He quickly slashed the air repeatedly, causing a huge cloud of sand to fly towards Lucario and Wolf.

Lucario crossed his arms in front of his face, trying to shield himself from the Sand Tomb attack. He felt as though he was trapped in a tornado – it was getting harder to breathe. Then, as soon as it came, the storm stopped.

He lowered his paws and saw that Wolf had eluded the attack, and was now covered in an orangey light. A purple aura soon formed around the Mightyena, and he launched himself like a torpedo straight at the dragon while the Magmortar quickly got out of the way.

Gabite was tossed to the side as Wolf plopped back to the ground, swaying lightly, looking extremely disoriented. Lucario rushed forward. "Wolf! Are you okay?"

"No – no prob," he said vaguely, blinking at Lucario. "G–giga Impact is not my fav – favourite move…"

Though still concerned, Lucario focused his attention on Magmortar. The Blast Pokémon was now lumbering forward with his right arm engulfed in flames. Upon reaching Lucario, he swung his arm backwards before thrusting it at the Aura Pokémon. However, the blue-furred fighter managed to dodge in time. Magmortar may be quick at firing projectiles, but he was slow when it came to close combat.

Magmortar continued trying to land a Fire Punch on Lucario, but the Aura Pokémon merely capered around, evading the blows swiftly. With each successful dodge, he felt a rush of adrenaline. His heart was pumping faster and faster as he moved to a nonexistent rhythm, feeling elated that his foe was having a hard time attempting to nail him.

When at last the surge of adrenaline seemed too much for his body to take, Lucario somersaulted backwards and landed gracefully. He felt every muscle in his body flaring up, and he roared at this sudden rush of strength. Raising his paws back into a fighting pose, he noticed that they were now awash with bluish aura.

Laughing mirthlessly, Magmortar said, "Swords Dance won't help you there, kid! You're just a tiny little –"

Without waiting for Magmortar to finish his trash talk, Lucario proceeded to relentlessly deliver some punches and kicks. His mind was working exceptionally quickly – he could pretty much predict in an instant where Magmortar would move; where Magmortar would block. That, coupled with the fact that the fire-type was a huge target, made it incredibly easy for Lucario to land every blow.

After getting several good hits in, Lucario leapt over Magmortar, landing behind the large Pokémon. Placing a paw on the fire-type's back, he unleashed another Force Palm, this one made stronger due to the effects of Swords Dance. Seeing that Magmortar was thrown to the flowerbeds, Lucario ran forward with his bone staff on the ready, weaving around all the Bonsly statues, intending to deal the finishing blow.

Unfortunately, he had underestimated Magmortar's endurance. Upon reaching his opponent, Magmortar swiftly grabbed the middle of the staff and yanked it to the side. As Lucario was still holding on to the bone-shaped weapon, he was thrown alongside with it, crashing into the brick fence that surrounded the mansion.

Rubbing his head, all momentum lost, he looked up to see a big grin on the Magmortar's face. His adversary pointed the cannon-like arm at him, and he knew the battle was lost. Feeling helpless, Lucario raised a paw as if hoping to deflect the impending attack.

And then it happened: a peculiar energy began coursing throughout his arm – it felt as though something was flowing from his shoulders to the tip of his paw. A small bluish ball formed, and without thinking, Lucario thrust it forward just as Magmortar shot a fireball.

The sphere collided with the ball of flame, and they both exploded, causing a shower of blue and red embers which quickly dissipated before they even reached the ground. Both of them stared at each other in surprise, and then Lucario grinned as he understood.

_Aura Sphere. At last._

He had looked forward to learning this move ever since Xatu told him about it. Lucario then tried to launch another sphere at the Magmortar, but nothing happened. Puzzled, he stared at his paws.

"Ha ha!" Magmortar began bounding over, looking smug. "Luck has deferred your loss, but it all ends now!" Flames engulfed his fist again. "Fate dictates so!"

Lucario tried summoning his staff to defend himself, but when he held up his paws, blue energy began forming quickly before it whizzed towards Magmortar, exploding as it made contact with the fire-type. This second Aura Sphere was smaller than the first one, but Lucario was more concerned about the fact that he couldn't seem to control them.

Magmortar, knocked a short distance ahead, got back to his feet, looking groggy. Lucario felt a tingling sensation in his arm, and was certain that another Aura Sphere was on its way. Thinking quickly, he noticed that the fountain was directly behind Magmortar. A sudden inspiration struck Lucario – and he acted quickly.

Grabbing a Bonsly statue on his right, he tossed it up at the air. Timing was crucial; as the statue fell back down, Lucario released the built-up energy in his paw. A huge sphere of aura flew forward, hitting the statue and breaking it into several chunks, but it did not stop there.

The large Aura Sphere, along with the broken pieces of the statue, zoomed towards the Magmortar, whose eyes were wide open with alarm. It struck the fire-type like a massive cannonball. The impact caused Magmortar to fly backwards, where he crashed into the Dewgong statue at the top of the fountain. The effigy broke off and fell along with the Blast Pokémon into the water with a huge splash.

Lucario waited a moment, but his opponent did not get back up. Heaving a sigh of relief, he glanced around the garden to see how his companions were faring. Absol and Eevee were facing both the Toxicroak and Vespiquen, though Eevee seemed to be relying on Absol to advise her on what she should do. Wolf was still battling with the Gabite, though Lucario couldn't tell who had the upper hand.

Seeing that Lucario was free, Wolf called out, "Lucario! Help me out a little here! I need a breather!"

"Right!"

Lucario darted forward, replacing Wolf as Gabite's opponent. "Are you all right, Wolf?"

"Yeah," the Mightyena panted, "I need more exercise – this vacation has made me out of shape. Take over for me; I'll come back after I catch my breath."

"No problem!" he said reassuringly. "Go and rest; I'll take care of this." Lucario could only wish he was as confident as he sounded – he badly wanted a rest as well; the fight with Magmortar had taken a lot out of him.

The Gabite considered Lucario for a moment before smirking. Without a word, he dug his way underground.

Frustrated, Lucario cried out, "Why do you always do that?"

Gabite seemed to be moving about with new ferocity, and Lucario was getting exhausted. If the dragon were to constantly use this strategy, there would be little chance of Lucario getting an attack in. Still, the Aura Pokémon forced himself to keep on the move.

"Luc, watch out!"

Lucario paused in his tracks and spun around. The black car had whirred to life, with Charles at the driver's seat. It would appear that the man had decided to enter the fray, and his first move was to run Lucario down. The vehicle was moving towards him at an alarming speed; he could just see the look of determination on Charles' face…

A loud rumble from the earth snapped the Aura Pokémon back to his senses, and he reacted instinctively by jumping out of the way. At that moment, Gabite leapt out of the ground from where Lucario was standing a moment ago. There was a sudden screech as Charles seemingly tried to swerve the car away while reaching out for the handbrakes, but he was too late.

The vehicle rammed into the Gabite, causing the dragon to soar in an arc before landing with a thud, unconscious. In an attempt to take down Lucario, Charles had unwittingly knocked out his own Pokémon. But that was not all – when Lucario directed his gaze back at the car, he found Charles sitting at an odd angle, also out cold. Apparently, his sudden stopping of the car had caused him to bump his head onto something.

Unsure of what to do, Lucario rushed forward and opened the door, dragging the man out. Charles' sunglasses had fallen off, broken, and his forehead was bleeding. Looking inside the car, Lucario could see that the key was in the ignition, and the engine apparently still running. He had learnt enough about cars from books to notice that the handbrakes had been pulled, and even at a time like this, he couldn't help but be overwhelmed by a sudden desire to check out the vehicle's interior.

Whether he liked it or not, however, Lucario was soon shoved into the car, his chest-spike poking a hole in the seat. He quickly looked over his shoulder only to find Toxicroak, leering down at him. His new opponent attempted to strike Lucario, but was pulled out of the car by someone not within his line of sight.

Lucario quickly slid out of the vehicle, and he grinned when he saw that it was Absol who had come to his rescue. "You okay, Absol?"

"Perfectly fine," he replied, glaring at the Toxicroak as the Toxic Mouth Pokémon lunged forward, attempting to nail Absol with a Poison Jab. "What about you?"

"Same here. I've lost track of how many times you've saved me today. Let's do this together, shall we?"

"Two against one?" Toxicroak grunted. "Unfair!"

"You weren't complaining when you guys outnumbered us!" Absol shot back, punctuating his retort with a swift blow to the Pokémon's jaw. Toxicroak stumbled backwards, where Lucario was standing.

Reacting instinctively, he stretched out his arm to do a Force Palm, but a small ball of aura flew out instead. The Aura Sphere collided with Toxicroak, sending the Pokémon back towards Absol.

The Disaster Pokémon's eyes were glowing, and several purplish blades shot out from the scythe on Absol's head as he swung it at the Toxicroak. The Psycho Cut attack sent Toxicroak flying upwards over Lucario before landing on the roof of Charles' black vehicle.

Lucario let out a cheer when he saw that Toxicroak was knocked out. Turning back to Absol, he saw that his white-furred friend had a wistful smile on his face. He decided not to ask if this Toxicroak was the same as the one Absol encountered in the past. "Only the Vespiquen left, then! Oh, and that Gloom. Do you know why he's not fighting, Absol?"

"I did ask him earlier; he said he doesn't want to be a part of this. Apparently, he's not even Charles' Pokémon. He mentioned something about being one of those poached Pokémon, and is actually rooting for us, though he daren't help in case we end up losing."

Lucario turned to the doorway where Gloom stood, honey dripping from the Pokémon's mouth like drool. "Poached?"

Before he could question further, Wolf appeared by his side again, panting heavily. "Absol, please go help Eevee, I just thought of something I need to do."

Absol started, apparently forgetting about the Evolution Pokémon. "Right!" And he scooted off. Lucario was about to follow him when Wolf held him back with a paw.

"Hey, Lucario," he motioned towards Charles, lying on the grass. "Can you check if he has a phone on him?"

"A phone?"

"Yeah, a mobile. Please do it, quick."

Not really understanding, he walked forward and examined the pockets in Charles' suit. He pulled out a bunch of assorted stuff, including a set of keys, a pen, a notebook, and finally, a tiny mobile phone.

"Excellent," Wolf said, still panting heavily. "It's on, right? Can you check the contacts for Kaori's father's number? I would do it, but I figure you're better at reading."

"Oh, okay. Um… which buttons do I press?"

"Try those things that look like arrows."

It was quite hard, trying to press all those miniscule buttons with his large paws. He slowly tapped the arrows, bringing up a menu of assorted icons. Once again, he felt excitement building up within him – operating a mobile phone was so much fun. He managed to find a list of contacts, and he scrolled down until he saw Mr. Sato's name.

"I found it!"

"Great; now, there should be an option to dial that number. Can you try finding it?"

"Um… okay, got it!"

He tapped the button, and there came a soft ringing tone. The Aura Pokémon looked up at Wolf. "Now what?"

"There's an option for loudspeakers, isn't there? Turn it on and I'll take over from here."

Lucario found the option quickly enough. Turning the loudspeakers on, he placed the mobile on the ground, and Wolf walked up to it. He could hear a faint click, followed by Mr. Sato's voice, amplified loudly: "Hello? Charles?"

"_You're Kaori's father?_" Wolf said in English, his voice coming out extremely low and gruff. Lucario felt awed as the dark-type continued, "_Your daughter is in grave danger at her home. Please call the police immediately. Your bodyguard, Charles, is a criminal_."

"What?" Mr. Sato exclaimed through the phone, sounding panicked. "Hello? Is Kaori all right? Who is this?"

"_Hurry up and put down already_!" Wolf yelled. "_Call the police! I will not be held responsible if your daughter loses her life!_"

"All right – don't hurt Kaori!"

There was another click, and the mobile phone fell silent. Wolf huffed, his eyes closed. A wave of sadness washed over Lucario, and the Aura Pokémon stared at Wolf with concern. "Is everything all right, Wolf?"

"I'm all right," he said, reverting back to Pokémon language. "Come on, Lucario, Absol and Eevee can handle the Vespiquen. We should go check on Kaori."

"That's right – Pearl is with her; I hope she can handle whatever Pokémon Judy has."

"Don't worry, Pearly's a tough cookie. But we should help her, yeah."

Lucario paused, utterly bewildered. "Pearl's a what?"

Wolf stared back, apparently confused as well. Then he appeared to catch sight of something behind Lucario's back, and chuckled. Lucario turned around to find Vespiquen flying haphazardly, trying to grab something on top of her head.

He was surprised to find that Eevee had attached herself on the Vespiquen, covering the Pokémon's eyes with both of her paws. Vespiquen continued flying wildly, perhaps attempting to throw off the brown-furred Pokémon, but to no avail.

What the Vespiquen did not know, however, was that she was zooming straight towards the house. Just as she was about to crash, Eevee leapt off while dealing a huge blow to the back of the Pokémon's head.

Absol rushed forward to support Eevee's fall just as Vespiquen flew straight into a huge glass window on the mansion's upper floor, breaking through it in the process. Lucario took it as a good sign when she did not reappear. Eevee, on the other hand, bounced off Absol's furry back and landed face first on the ground. She got up quickly, wobbling a little, though looking extremely pleased.

"Great job, everyone!" Wolf addressed them all loudly. "Come on, we should go check on Pearly and Kaori. The police should be coming anytime soon – there's a police station near here – so all we got to do is to last until then."

"Okay," Lucario agreed. Wolf nodded and darted off like the wind towards the back of the mansion, Absol following swiftly behind. The Aura Pokémon paused to look at Eevee, who seemed disoriented. "I'll go ahead, Eevee, you can join us when you're ready!" Lucario then ran after Wolf and Absol, but soon felt a sudden sting at his muzzle as he was knocked to the ground.

Looking up, he saw his friends still dashing ahead, not noticing that their comrade was down. His field of vision was then blocked by an upside-down playful face, and he blinked in surprise. It took him quite some time before he finally registered that he was attacked by Lopunny, who had evidently regained consciousness.

She gave a friendly smile, but her fist was drawn back, clearly going for a punch. Lucario rolled out of the way before springing back on to his feet with an uppercut, which caught her squarely on her jaw. Lopunny staggered backwards, holding onto her chin. She looked back up at Lucario, and he was startled to see tears in her eyes.

"Why?" she whimpered, her eyes wide. "Why did you hit me?"

"W–what?" Lucario sputtered, completely perplexed. "You attacked me first!"

"I was only trying to be friends!"

"By punching me?"

She pouted, obviously pretending not to hear him. Burying her face in her fluffy arms, she cried out, "You're mean! I just wanted to say hi…"

_This is not happening._ He lowered his arms and walked closer to the Rabbit Pokémon. "I don't know what flawed logic you're trying to apply here, but you can't just –"

But at that moment, she looked up, a glint in her eyes. Lucario quite thought he saw a yellowish light flying towards him, but he wasn't too sure – he squeezed his eyes shut and shielded his face with his paws, expecting to be thrown back by an attack. But nothing happened.

Puzzled, he opened his eyes again, and then he saw it.

It was as though a beam of light had suddenly illuminated the dreary world he had been living in all this while. Her silky brown fur shone brightly in the sun's rays, seemingly giving off a magnificent glow. And her eyes – her red eyes were so captivating, filling him with warmth. Never before had he realised how empty his life was until now.

How could he have been so stupid? She was only trying to get to know him better, and he attacked her! That was extremely unbecoming of him. He raised a paw timidly, ears pressed flatly against the back of his head. "Are you okay, Lopunny? I'm sorry – did I hurt you?"

She shook her head and he smiled shyly, wondering if she would still like him even after his dreadful attitude earlier. A thought suddenly struck him, and he quickly combed down the fur on his head with his paw. His yellow-golden fur around his torso was covered with dirt; he quickly brushed it off, wanting to look presentable. Finally, he adjusted his scarf and cleared his throat.

He walked a few steps closer, but paused when a furry, brown bowling ball came rolling over to him at top speed. "Lucario, no!"

Strange, he never knew bowling balls could talk. He looked at it for a second – the disfigured object had halted in front of him, apparently staring right at his crimson eyes. "Snap out of it!" it said angrily.

"Be quiet!" he hissed, waving it away with his paws. "Go roll somewhere else!"

He turned back to the Lopunny, but soon felt a sharp pain from his behind. Yelping, he whipped his tail to the front and grabbed it, rubbing the sore spot. It was then that he noticed Eevee glaring at him, bits of blue fur around her mouth. "Eevee? What are you doing here?" He glanced around. "Where's the bowling ball?"

"Oh, so I'm a bowling ball, am I?" she said angrily. She pointed at Lopunny. "What is she then, a marshmallow? The way you were looking at her – honestly!"

He groaned, memories of his thoughts and antics flooding back to him. Fortunately, Eevee had stopped him before he could do anything else – like profess his love. Ruffling up the fur on his head again, he glowered at Lopunny. The Rabbit Pokémon appeared to be frightened – she hastily scooted off out of the mansion's front gate, disappearing from sight.

Lucario sighed. "At least she's out of the way now. I never want to see a Lopunny again. Thanks, Eevee."

For some reason, Eevee began rolling on the ground, bursting into peals of laughter.

"What?" he asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Come to think of it," she said, wiping the tears of laughter away, "you looked absolutely hilarious!"

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I certainly didn't."

At this, her laughter intensified. "You _didn't_? You definitely looked like you did!"

"Hmph. Wait till you get hit by an Attract attack, my bowling ball friend. Bet you'll go rolling over to him in no time." He paused, pondering what he just said. "Eevee in love… ha! I can't even imagine it."

"That's because you will never see that silly look on my face!" she said, sniggering.

"Then again," he went on in an indifferent tone, "I never thought I'd see you liking a human either."

That wiped the smirk off her face. "For the last time, I don't like her! I just hate her less than the rest!"

"Right," he said, nodding. "Whatever floats your submarine. Come on, we should go help them." They both headed towards the back. After a few steps, however, Lucario stopped, clutching at his head with both his paws.

"What's wrong?" Eevee said, staring at him.

"I'm not sure… I just felt a twinge." His vision was slightly blurry – he blinked a few times, and it thankfully returned to normal. "Weird. Well, at least it stopped. Come on, let's go."

Eevee nodded and ran ahead of the Aura Pokémon, who tried to keep up but was soon hit with a bout of dizziness. "Eevee," he called out as he quickly moved to the side, holding on to the brick fence for support. "You go on ahead; I'll catch up in a while."

The Evolution Pokémon looked back at him in puzzlement. "What's wrong now?" she enquired as she padded back to him.

"I'm feeling a bit giddy. No big deal – it's nothing new. I guess I might have overexerted myself again."

"Well, it's no use for me to go ahead without you, is there?" She jerked her heads towards the back. "Come on, let's move together; slowly, if you want to."

"Really, Eevee?" he said in disbelief. The brown-furred Pokémon sure seemed to be in a good mood – perhaps it was the thrill after a victory over the Vespiquen, or maybe it was because he made a fool of himself earlier. Whichever one it was, he nodded, and resumed walking with her at his side. "Eevee, do me a favour, and don't mention my dizziness to Absol."

Her ears perked up immediately. "Oh, so you're going to use up your favour for this?"

"Huh?"

"Your favour, your favour!" she said impatiently. "Didn't you say I owe you a favour?"

He chuckled when he realised what Eevee was talking about. "Oh, you mean for playing that cruel joke on me? But this is just a tiny favour… totally unbefitting what you did to me!" If Eevee hadn't brought it up, he would not have remembered about the favour in the first place – he decided not to mention that.

"It's not like I did something criminal," she grumbled, but did not pursue the subject.

He decided to change the topic. "That was some nice flying you did earlier, Eevee. You did very well, and it was your first battle, too."

"You think so?" She stared at him. "To be honest, I didn't know what I was doing most of the time. I just… kind of automatically did what I thought was appropriate at every instance."

"Yeah, I guess that's how I fight too. I mean, you can't really plan out your battles, can you? Not unless you already know your opponents' fighting style. But I bet Wolf would know about battling strategies – I expect he's been in loads of fights."

"I suppose so; I must say it's a little bit scary though," Eevee said, grimacing. "I wouldn't mind not fighting ever again."

Lucario laughed. "You fight me all the time; I don't think that will change."

"Not unless you change first," she said under her breath, though there was a small smile on her face. It soon faded though, and she spoke again after a while, "I just don't understand you, Lucario."

"Hmm?" He gazed at her questioningly, but she did not elaborate on her statement.

"Where are they?" she asked, staring straight ahead.

"Somewhere further. I can feel their presence."

He had been right, there were a lot more plants at the back of the mansion, many of them he had never seen before even in books. He could detect the auras of his friends as well as Kaori and Pearl, but the only one feeling agitated was Judy. Knowing what this meant, he trudged on in good spirits.

Sure enough, when Lucario and Eevee finally found them after navigating around a bunch of exotic plants, Kaori was hugging Pearl tightly as the Purugly licked her paws, looking very pleased with herself. Judy was on her knees, besides a downed Electabuzz. She looked utterly depressed as she glanced from Absol to Mightyena, who were both surrounding her.

Lucario smiled – it was over.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

_Kaori, a girl who has made it big after landing a starring role in an upcoming movie. But fame and fortune has a price – in order to maintain an image, she was forced to hide her best friend, Pearl the Purugly, from the world. Instead, a Skitty took Pearl's place, because Pearl was deemed to be not presentable enough._

_Also, though she wishes to be a Pokémon trainer and start a journey, Kaori's father would rather she continue her acting career while occasionally participating in Pokémon contests instead. Apparently, it would better suit Kaori's image as a cute child idol. _

The police arrived in large numbers, moving in perfect coordination as they surrounded the premise. Kaori quickly explained to one of the officers as to what had happened, and each of the criminals were arrested and brought away, including the Pokémon. Lopunny, of course, had escaped, but it couldn't be helped.

Gloom was ecstatic when he saw the police. He was interrogated by a Growlithe, who appeared to be extremely uncomfortable during the questioning – the smell emitting from Gloom was quite unbearable. It was as Absol said – Gloom was stolen from his human partner, and was hoping that the police could help him get back home.

Derek soon awoke from his slumber induced by Gloom's Sleep Powder. Relieved as he was to find that Kaori was perfectly fine, he was quite insistent that the ordeal would not have occurred if he had been more careful. He even offered to resign, but Kaori would not hear of it.

Mr. Sato arrived shortly after the police, pushing his way past the officers as he frantically searched for his daughter. Finding her at last, he dashed forward and pulled her into a hug.

"Pearly protected me," she whispered into his ear, hugging him back as tightly as she could. "Wolf and his friends startled Charles just as his men were about to kidnap me. I ran to the back, and that reporter followed, and Pearly protected me. She saved me."

Mr. Sato released the hug and stared gratefully at the Purugly standing by Kaori's side.

"We should go now," Kaori said with a smile.

The man stared at her in surprise. "Go where?"

"To the concert, of course! We're going to be late!"

_All that pressure was getting to Kaori, but she persevered. She's really strong, that girl. I was quite concerned when she thought of running away, but thankfully, she decided to take the better course of action and confront her parents about what she really wanted out of her life. Good for her – it's her life; she should choose the way she wants to live._

The concert had started by the time they reached the stadium, but fortunately, it was not Kaori's turn to perform yet. Mr. Sato kept telling her that it was fine if she did not want to go up onstage, but she was insistent. "The show must go on," she had said with a giggle. "I always wanted to say that. It sounds so cool on TV."

She tied the purple ribbon on her black hair and did a little curtsey, the Skitty by her side. "I'll see you later, Pearly!"

_We didn't get to the concert in time – all the good seats were already taken. So we watched her performance backstage, through a huge television monitor. Eevee enjoyed it very much, I think. She says that she wasn't really a fan, and that she used to watch Kaori on television merely to pass the time when she was stuck in Greg's mansion. I'm not sure if I believe that – I think Eevee is just too prideful to admit she likes a human._

"You were great," Mr. Sato said, hugging his daughter in their room backstage. They were alone, though Lucario was just outside, prying into their private conversation using his aura abilities. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, Daddy, but there's something I need to tell you."

He smiled, straightening back up. "I think I know what it is, but go on."

"I don't want to live like this anymore. I want Pearly by my side, always. I don't want to hide her away! And… if it's possible… I wanna become a trainer!" she added hopefully.

"I can see how much Pearly means to you," he said. Mr. Sato paused for a few seconds. "All right. I'll tell the agency about it. You do know that you'll probably lose a number of fans, don't you? I mean… you've been telling everyone that Skitty is your friend all along – I know you were forced to do it!" he quickly said after Kaori stared at him sternly. "But still, they won't like having been lied to."

She folded her arms and frowned. "I don't care!"

"Okay, I understand. Go ahead – tell the world the truth. And if the agent doesn't like that, then we'll just find a new talent agency!"

She beamed, wringing his hand. "Thank you, Daddy! And… um… what about being a trainer?"

He frowned. "Is it something you really want to do, Kaori?"

Kaori nodded. "I know it won't be easy, but I want to try!"

He sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Kaori… the reason why I – and your mother – didn't want you to become a trainer is because it's a dangerous world out there. See what happened earlier at our house? We don't want to risk it… you're still so young…"

"But I'll have Pearly with me! She can protect me!"

"I know, but what if, somehow, she isn't able to protect you? What then? If you participate in contests, you can train at home… we can fetch you directly to all the contest halls. Unless… unless you are willing to let us fetch you to all the gyms?"

"But there's no point in that! Being a trainer is all about the journey, and finding Pokémon in the wild, and –"

"Exactly," he said with a sad smile. "Dangerous."

"Daddy," she pleaded, "please?"

Mr. Sato sighed once more, looking troubled. At last, he said, "Give us a few years. Okay, Kaori? Once you're a few years older, and when we're sure that Pearly – and any other Pokémon you might get in the future – are able to protect you, then you can go. Is that all right with you?"

"Yay!" she exclaimed, hugging him again. "Okay! I don't mind waiting a few years, as long as I don't have to hide Pearly anymore. Thank you very much! I'll go tell Pearly now!"

She dashed out of the room, almost bumping into Lucario. "Oh, I'm sorry, Lucario!"

The Aura Pokémon shook his head, and held out the items he was holding: a pen and two sheets of paper. Though slightly bewildered at first, she caught on quickly. "You… want my autograph?"

He nodded, and she took the pen, smiling. "Okay," she said, signing on the paper, "there you go – oh, another one?" she asked as he handed her the next piece. "Right, here! Thank you for everything, Lucario." She rubbed the top of his head between the ears, and he let out a happy growl.

Lucario watched as she skipped off happily to tell Pearl the good news. He gazed down at the sheets of paper – Kaori's signature was neat and elegant, with a cute musical note drawn at the very end. He looked up again, and though she had disappeared from view, he bowed in her general direction.

_In the end, Kaori gets what she wished for._ _She needn't hide Pearl anymore, and in a few years, she'll be able to start her Pokémon journey as a trainer. Turns out that Mr. Sato wasn't too keen on the idea because he was worried about what she might face in the journey… at first glance, it may seem like he was controlling Kaori's life, but he really was just concerned for her wellbeing._

_I have no idea why Charles wanted to kidnap Kaori. It's probably for the money, but I can't be sure. In any case, he has a stolen Pokémon with him. I bet the police will squeeze the truth out of him soon enough, and maybe I'll read about it in the papers. _

_As for Judy, it's a pity she didn't go to the police right away. Instead, she chose to help Charles. I find it amazing the lengths certain individuals would go to just to get what they want. Personally, I don't see why she wanted those exclusive articles so badly. Even if she got fired, she could easily look for another job. Then again, what do I know? I'm just an unemployed wild Pokémon. _

_On a side note, I have finally learnt how to perform an Aura Sphere! Unfortunately, I can't seem to control it. I definitely need to practise more; I've been neglecting training a lot lately. I'm a lot lazier than I thought._

"Lucario!"

The Aura Pokémon spun around, the autographs still in his paws. Wolf was walking up to him. "Hello, Wolf! Is anything the matter?"

"As you know, I'm leaving Sinnoh soon. I just came to say goodbye."

"Oh… will I see you again, Wolf?"

"When we're here at Sinnoh once more, I promise I'll drop by to visit," the Mightyena said. "Where are you staying again?"

"Up on a mountain, in the forest. It's quite near a lake."

"All right. I'll be sure to remember that." He then said gruffly, in English, "_Goodbye_ _for now_."

"Ah, let me try!" Lucario cleared his throat. "_Goo – good… b – bye_…"

Wolf chuckled. "Close enough."

He pulled Wolf into a hug. "Take care, okay?"

"You take care too, Lucario."

_Wolf is a great Pokémon. I still remember when I first met him – I was following Julie Hawthorne around then. I learnt a lot from Wolf, and it's sad that he's leaving. I wish him, and Will, all the best in their travels._

_Kaori's autograph, a symbol of identity. She mentioned something interesting, about how her life was scripted. Though she is but one person, she had two personas – a polyrhythm. I expect it must be hard to maintain the multiple tempos, and I'm glad she has finally found the one single perfect melody. I wonder what _my _rhythm is like… I never thought about it much._

_Not forgetting Pearl, who is truly a selfless Pokémon, willing to sacrifice herself as long as Kaori is happy. It really is unfair for people to judge Pearl based on her looks. In any case, that's over now, and I hope they both have a bright future._

Finished with his latest entry, Lucario closed the journal and placed it inside his aura-imbued box. He was about to remove his scarf when he noticed that Eevee was behind him. The Evolution Pokémon had, oddly enough, agreed to go back to the cave with them after the concert.

"You have a diary?"

"Yeah, my father gave it to me."

"And what do you write about?" She smiled slyly. "What skeletons do you have hiding in your closet, Lucario?"

"Even if I have a closet, I wouldn't keep skeletons in there," he said firmly. "I usually write about my human-watching sessions."

"Oh really?" she said, in a tone that suggested scepticism. She tried peeking into the open box, but the lid shut down firmly, almost hitting her nose in the progress. Eevee backed away quickly, looking thoroughly offended. "How rude. Just like its owner."

He laughed lightly, taking the box and stroking its top. "It only opens for me, Eevee. I've placed my aura in it."

"Really? So no one else can open it?"

"No one." He pulled the box closer to himself, as though protecting it from her. "Why, are you thinking of stealing it?"

She scoffed, flicking her tail upwards. "Why would I want something of yours?"

"Maybe not, but…" He placed his box down and got up, walking over to the crate where he kept his human-watching souvenirs. He picked up one of the two autographs he received earlier. "I'm sure you would like one of this!"

"Oh, it's that paper you were holding earlier. And I would want that because…?"

"Because it's Kaori's autograph! I got two of them, so that's one for me and one for you." He turned to the Disaster Pokémon. "Um… Absol, do you want one? You can have mine."

"There's no need for that," Absol replied, looking amused. "Thanks for the offer though."

"I don't want one either," she said flatly.

"What? You want both of them then?"

"No! I don't want one – or two!" She cast a quick look at Absol, and Lucario understood.

Grinning, he sent her a telepathic message. "_I get it; you don't want to accept the autograph in front of Absol. I'll pass it to you later then, when he's not watching._"

"I'm telling you, I – don't – want – it!" she said loudly, making Absol jump. She suddenly narrowed her eyes at the Aura Pokémon, smiling sinisterly. "If you breathe one more word on this subject, I'll tell Absol all about you and Lopunny…"

Lucario gaped at her, astounded that she would stoop so low.

"Huh?" Absol turned to Eevee with interest showing on his face. "What's this about?"

"Oh, you want to know? Well, earlier at the mansion, your friend here was –"

Lucario intervened quickly, determined to save his pride. "Stop it, Eevee! Please! Or I'll tell Absol about what I saw that day at the cafeteria…"

The Disaster Pokémon now turned to Lucario, clearly enjoying himself. "What happened at the cafeteria?"

"Well, remember when Kaori entered? I saw Eevee too, and she –"

He gasped when Eevee suddenly leapt at him, causing him to fall down. She bounced off his chest and scampered to his aura box. Grasping its handle with her teeth, she ran towards one of the openings on the cave's walls before placing it down on the floor.

"Continue your story if you like, Lucario," she hissed. "But don't blame me if your box ends up at the bottom of the mountain!"

"Eevee, no!"

Lucario got up and ran forward, his paws outstretched as he tried to reach for his box. A small, familiar pressure began building up quickly in his arm, and before he knew it, a tiny Aura Sphere had launched itself from his paw, whizzing straight towards the bewildered Eevee.

She managed to get out of the way in time, but was knocked aside by the impact the sphere made when it exploded upon contact with the wall. Thankfully, it wasn't a powerful Aura Sphere, and Eevee was unharmed, though there was now a small crack in the wall.

Eevee stared at the wall for a moment before turning back to Lucario. Her expression was one of immense shock and hurt; she blinked back a few tears and began running up the path to the cave's entrance, letting out a small sob before disappearing from sight.

"Eevee! Wait!"

Awash with guilt, Lucario made to follow her.

"Lucario," Absol began, looking as though he could not believe what just happened. "What –"

"An accident, Absol, an accident! I didn't mean to do it – it materialised on its own… I've got to explain… Stay here, Absol! I've got to clean this mess I've created…"

Without another word, he dashed out of the cave, not bothering to seal the entrance. Eevee was nowhere in sight, which obviously meant that she was speeding her way down the mountain. He quickly ran ahead, scanning the surrounding aura in order to determine her exact location.

Just as he got a hold on her aura, he felt a sharp pain in his aura receptors. He fell to his knees, clutching his head and groaning. For quite some time, it felt as though the world around him was spinning like a carousel at high speed.

He slowly forced himself up, holding onto a nearby boulder for support. Lucario took a deep breath, trying to ignore the throbbing pain he felt. He had wasted enough time. The Aura Pokémon loosened his scarf a little and ran again. He had an Eevee to catch.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Yeah, I felt the ending of this chapter was awkward.

Next time, on I Am Lucario…

"_You and I are miles apart in the hierarchy."_

_Lucario gritted his teeth, growling slightly. "You've never spoken a truer word."_

This time, I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be a lot shorter.

Also, a new semester has started for me, so it might take a while before I complete it. I'll do my best though.


	12. Footprints Leading Nowhere

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon.

Last update was 22nd January 2010

Current date, 30th May 2010

I am so sorry, everyone… this is the longest I went without updating so far (for this story). And to top it off, this chapter isn't all that great either. But still, I hope you will enjoy it anyway; it is a rather important chapter.

On a happier note, this story has reached several milestones, the most notable being that it has surpassed a hundred reviews! This is the first story of mine to pass this mark. Seriously, thank you. Without your support, this story would never have made it this far.

And now, an important **announcement**: I only just noticed that the site has removed all my segment breaks. For those who remember, I used dashes. I have fixed it now, using colons instead. It is likely that they will disappear again one day, so if you spot missing segment breaks (or other weird formatting errors), please notify me immediately!

In response to **Lizzy**;

Thank you very much! I'm glad you like the personalities – I sometimes worry if some characters behave too similarly like others, especially since there are so many characters in this story. I'll do my best!

In response to** Anonymous1**;

Thank you very much! It's been so long since I last updated that my 'new' semester has just ended, haha… I should have more time to work on the story now though, until the next semester comes along. I hope you have been well!

(**Edit** on the 7th of November 2011; fixed a typo. Thanks, **TheLegendOfWolf**!)

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

_Today has been one of the worst days of my life._

The wind whipped about Lucario's fur as the Pokémon tore down the mountain, the tails of his red scarf fluttering freely behind him. There was no sign of Eevee anywhere – not even the slightest trace of aura, which was odd. Perhaps he had wasted too much time trying to recover from the sudden bout of dizziness, or maybe his senses had been affected by the headache somehow.

_Right after getting back from the concert, I made a horrible mistake. I accidentally fired an Aura Sphere at Eevee. This is what happens when I neglect my training – not to mention the fact that my aura senses doesn't seem to work so well anymore. And now, I face the consequences of my procrastination._

As he continued running, a torrent of emotions washed over the Aura Pokémon. Lucario was angry with himself for allowing that accident to happen – if he had kept faithfully to his training regimens, he would not have lost control of his abilities like that… He had always been hardworking before he evolved… just how did he turn out to be such a procrastinator?

Lucario then thought back to the look of hurt on Eevee's face, and tremendous guilt flooded through him once more. He was used to the Evolution Pokémon throwing tantrums and attacking him out of the blue, but those were all fun and games… Lucario knew that Eevee never really meant all the spiteful things she said… or had he been reading her emotions wrongly?

In any case, he had betrayed her trust, and just when it seemed as though she was warming up to him too… well, they were able to carry out longer conversations without her attacking him, at the very least.

Finally reaching the base of the mountain, Lucario glanced around, skimming through the waves in the surrounding area. Like before, his efforts to detect the Evolution Pokémon's presence proved futile.

This certainly was a dilemma… Eevee had point-blank refused to tell Lucario where she lived, and he didn't know where exactly she frequented either. He paused, trying to recall all the times he had stumbled upon her in the forest. Come to think of it, their encounters mostly took place near his mountain…

He remembered it well – Eevee was apparently asked by her parents to thank Lucario for helping the brown-furred Pokémon regain her freedom. That had been their first encounter in the forest, not counting the time when Lucario accompanied Eevee to break her Poké Ball. It was then that they made a bet, which turned out to be more or less a fiasco.

As punishment for 'losing' the bet, he was forced to…

Lucario snapped out of his reverie – his brief reminiscence had reminded him something: he had once met Eevee at the lake, and she appeared to be thoroughly depressed at that time. Wet from head to tail, she seemed to have fallen into the water, though there was no mistaking the waves of sadness pouring from her.

Perhaps the lake was a good place to begin his search?

The Aura Pokémon knew it was highly unlikely that he would find Eevee there; the little Pokémon probably wouldn't hide in a place he knew about. But still, it would be prudent to search the area anyway… after all, he couldn't think of anywhere else she might be. The forest suddenly seemed so large.

And as Lucario set off towards the lake, he couldn't help but think grimly about how he was playing yet another forest game with Eevee – only this time, it was hide-and-seek.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Twelve: Footprints Leading Nowhere**

"_loop while true (output "Where do I go from here?")"_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"Excuse me…" Lucario began, approaching a tiny Bidoof who was clutching onto a berry. "I'm looking for an Eevee – have you seen her?"

The Bidoof, clearly a very young one, did not reply. Instead, he stared at Lucario fearfully, slowly inching backwards while tightening his grip on the berry as though it was his most-prized possession. At last, he spoke softly, "Mummy told me not to talk to strangers."

"Well, you just did, but don't worry – I won't bite." Lucario took a step closer, prompting the Bidoof to dash off towards the edge of the lake. The area was quite deserted, and had there been more Pokémon about, the Bidoof might not have been so afraid of Lucario – but then again, if there were others around, the Aura Pokémon probably wouldn't have approached him in the first place.

Holding up both his paws, Lucario said, "Okay, I'll stay right here, don't worry. If you have seen an Eevee though, please, tell me. It's extremely important that I find her, and quick."

Staring at Lucario warily, the Bidoof muttered, "No, I didn't see anyone at all. I was all alone before you came."

"I see. Thank you."

But Bidoof was now staring at the red scarf wrapped around Lucario's neck. His eyes widened and he pointed at it with a tiny paw. "You… you're part of a trainer's team, aren't you?" He glanced around the surrounding area fretfully, suddenly panicked. "Your human is here – your human is trying to capture me! This is an ambush, isn't it?"

"No," Lucario said quickly as he took a step forward, quite forgetting his promise to stay still. "I'm a wild Pokémon too, see, and I –"

However, the Bidoof had dashed off, yelling about untrustworthy strangers and whatnots, his half-eaten berry lying forgotten on the ground. Sighing, Lucario walked over to the water and had a quick drink. As expected, Eevee was not in the vicinity. If anything, he expected her to have run off home by now – or somewhere close to it, at the very least.

As such, his best way forward was to find out where she lived. Even if she was not there at the moment, Eevee was bound to return home at some point or another. He was willing to wait. But of course, it was easier said than done – the forest was vast. It could potentially take ages, even with his aura abilities… assuming that they still work well, of course.

With his thirst quenched, Lucario straightened up and glanced around. His eyes fell on the pine tree, and he recalled of the time when they sat together under its shade, discussing about how best to get back on those they loathe. Eevee had seemed so depressed then, though she appeared to be significantly cheered after Lucario helped her let off some steam.

He doubted a few apples and water balloons would help placate her anger this time around though.

Back then, Eevee had led him to places in the forest he had not been to before – and she had even helped him rediscover his hatch-place. When Lucario questioned her on how she came to know of the location, she had seemed hesitant… perhaps her home was somewhere in the vicinity? Well, it wouldn't hurt to try his luck there.

And so Lucario retraced the steps he took that day, continuing along the path which he knew eventually led to a river. Eevee had taken him down the same road then, though they eventually deviated towards a small clearing with a large Razz berry tree. Stopping in his tracks, he performed a quick aura-search of the area. He saw no reason why Eevee would take refuge in the clearing, but –

Lucario opened his eyes, his heart racing. There was someone there all right; not Eevee, but a Shinx, the very same one who fell for the Evolution Pokémon's pitfall trap that day. Though Eevee seemed to despise the electric-type, perhaps he had seen where she ran off to. At the very least, Lucario hoped Shinx could tell him the location of Eevee's home.

Sitting comfortably under the Razz tree, Shinx looked up in surprise as the Aura Pokémon entered the area. Realising who it was, he quickly swallowed the berry in his mouth and waved, a wide smile on his face. Lucario returned the gesture, walking up to the little black and blue Pokémon.

"We meet again, sir! Thanks again for helping out the other day – if it weren't for you, we would have been in deep trouble." Shinx chuckled lightly before adding, "Quite literally!"

Lucario decided not to mention that if it weren't for him, Shinx would not have been in trouble in the first place. "Um… it's nothing, really."

"Aw, there's no need for modesty – I'm sure Patch would agree! Heeey," his eyes fell on the red accessory wrapped around Lucario's neck, "nice scarf! Where did you get it from?"

"I got it from my father. I don't usually wear it in the forest, but I forgot to take it off."

"Oh." Shinx raised a paw towards a large pile of Razz berries lying under the tree. "Would you like some?"

"No thanks," said Lucario, staring at the berries bewilderedly, wondering if the little Pokémon was intending to finish it all by himself. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something. You know Eevee, right? Have you seen Eevee today?"

"Eevee? You still call him that?" Shinx said in mild surprise. "Well, yeah, I did see Eevee a few hours ago; I'm pretty sure he went back to town."

"What? Ferrous City?" Lucario said, staring at Shinx in wonder. Could Eevee really have run off to the city? But then the Aura Pokémon realised what the electric-type had just said, and he shook his head hastily. "No, no, the Eevee I'm looking for is a 'she'."

"Oh, the second Eevee!" Shinx exclaimed in surprise, but a knowing look soon appeared on his face, and the Flash Pokémon nodded sympathetically. "What has she done to you?"

"Well, it's more of something I've done to her, actually…"

"Hmm… I see," he replied, though his bewildered expression suggested otherwise. "Nope, I didn't see Eevee today. She's been avoiding me for some time now, I think – not that I mind."

"Really?" It wouldn't surprise Lucario in the slightest if the Evolution Pokémon had been keeping her distance from Shinx, but perhaps the electric-type could shed some light as to the reason why… "Do you know Eevee well, Shinx?"

"Eh… well enough, I suppose. She's… how should I put this?" He thought for a moment before saying, "She's a mystery."

"Oh, I agree."

"Yeah. She says weird things every now and then – gets into tempers… I preferred back then when she was jovial and enthusiastic. Now, not so much." Shinx shook his head and smiled cheerily. "Not exactly a happy Pokémon to be with anymore. You know what, sir?" He walked to the base of the Razz tree and tapped the ground. "That pitfall the other day – I suspect she's behind it."

"Um…"

"You came by shortly after Patch and I fell though. Did you see Eevee lurking around, sir?"

"Nope," Lucario replied, perhaps a little too quickly. "Why do you think it was her?"

Shinx opened his mouth, hesitated, and let out a long 'aaaaah'. Seemingly unwilling to answer, the Pokémon tilted his head to a side, thinking hard before finally saying, "Well, it's just the kind of thing she would do."

Despite the calm, innocent expression on Shinx's face, there were traces of guilt in the waves he was emitting.

"I see," Lucario replied briefly, pondering if he should probe the little Pokémon further. Shinx was clearly hiding something, but the Aura Pokémon sensed that he would not relent easily, and time was a luxury Lucario did not currently have. "Anyway, you mentioned earlier about another Eevee? A male one?"

"Oh yeah!" Shinx exclaimed cheerfully, resuming his bright and bubbly personality in a flash. "Now _he's _the total opposite. Fun, cool, and strong – though he's not an Eevee anymore; he has since evolved to a Jolteon. Quite a number of us still call him 'Eevee' though… He lives with a human partner now, but he still drops by occasionally. A much more 'funner' Pokémon to hang around with, unlike his sister."

Lucario stared in surprise – could it really be? "His sister… you mean the Eevee I'm looking for?"

Shinx nodded. "Yep. Sometimes, we wonder if they're truly related, what with the difference between their personalities and all, but –"

"_Eevee_ has a brother?" Lucario wondered aloud, rubbing his chin with a paw as he contemplated this new bit of information. Not once had the Evolution Pokémon mentioned about having a brother – but then again, she never did reveal much about her personal life. And yet, this would explain quite a lot… At last, Lucario felt as though he was beginning to understand Eevee.

"She never told you?" Shinx said in astonishment. "Oh, but wait till you meet him! Every time he drops by, he tells some interesting stories about his life with a human. It's remarkable how –"

"I would love to meet him," Lucario interrupted, "but before that, I really need to find Eevee and apologise. Do you know where I can find her, Shinx?"

Shinx's smile dimmed slightly as he scratched his ear. "Well, maybe you can try her home?"

"You know where she lives?" Lucario asked in surprise. "She always refuses to tell me."

"Sure I do. There's a river nearby; just follow it upstream until you reach a huge waterfall. Just walk along the rock wall towards the right a little and you should reach there soon enough."

"So she does live around here after all…"

"Yep; most of the gang do… hey, sir, do you live in this area too?"

Lucario did not hear the question – he was recalling the time when Eevee brought him to his hatch-place. This proved his theory – Eevee _did_ live in the vicinity. He turned back to Shinx. "Well, I got to go. I need to find her home; and if she's not there, I'll just wait until she gets back. Thanks, Shinx."

And so the blue-furred Pokémon padded away. Before he made it back to the path leading towards the river, Shinx came running behind, the sound of fallen leaves being trodden on filling the air as the young Pokémon rushed up to Lucario.

Surprised, Lucario turned around and stared questioningly at Shinx. "Yes? Do you want to come along too?"

"What? No!" he said quickly, looking appalled at the very thought. "She'll tear me to bits! I just wanted to ask you a favour, actually…"

"Sure, just name it."

"Well…" Shinx sat on his haunches and gazed downwards. "You said you were going to apologise, right? Do you think you can help pass along a message?"

"A message?"

"Yeah. Just tell her that I'm sorry too."

Lucario paused, suddenly filled with curiosity. Was he about to find out the reason why Eevee was so upset the other day? "Sorry for what?" he enquired, trying to sound casual and indifferent.

"Um…" Shinx hesitated once again; waves of embarrassment were emanating from him now, clearly indicating that this was a subject he was not comfortable in discussing. "I'm sure she knows," he said at last, with a slight chuckle. "Just tell her that for me, will ya?"

"Wouldn't it be better if you tell her personally though?"

Shinx shook his head quickly and laughed. "She'll devour me! I won't live to see another day!" His amusement died away soon enough, and a serious expression took over his features. "Maybe someday I will, but it might just be too late."

With his usual comforting smile, Lucario replied, "I know Eevee might seem fierce and cold on the outside, but I'm sure she'll be happy if you apologise." He paused for a moment to reflect on what he just said – he hoped the same applied to _his _apology. "All the same, I'll tell her what you said. But I hope you'll consider meeting up with her sometime to give a real apology."

"I'll do that; thanks!" Shinx said, beaming. "You know, you seem like a cool guy to hang out with. Maybe we could meet up sometimes? There's a whole gang of us here – Jolteon included – and we do all sorts of stuff. The whole forest is our playground!"

"Thanks for the offer – maybe I will, if I'm around." With that, Lucario gave a small wave. "I have to go now; I need to find Eevee as soon as possible. Thanks for everything, Shinx."

"No problem! And thanks in advance for passing the message! See you around!" Shinx turned around and walked away, but stopped suddenly. Facing Lucario again, he said, "Oh, one more thing… good luck!"

"Thanks…" And Lucario watched as Shinx headed back to his retreat, wondering what the electric-type meant with the last comment.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

_In my search for Eevee, I stumbled upon Shinx, the same Pokémon whom we played a prank on the other day._

_I learned some interesting things from him. For starters, Eevee has a brother, who is now a Jolteon. This is the first I have ever heard of Eevee having a sibling. It became obvious to me that Shinx and his group look up to Jolteon a whole lot. When I told Shinx that I was searching for Eevee, he automatically assumed that I meant Jolteon… _

_And I finally received confirmation that Shinx had done something to upset Eevee. He wanted me to tell her that he was sorry, as he was apparently too afraid to apologise in person. Eevee may put on a cold front, but I know she's a great Pokémon deep down. I am sure she will forgive him someday, as long as he is sincerely sorry._

_Shinx also told me where Eevee is staying. At first, I thought it was strange that he would know where her home was, seeing as Eevee had always been so secretive about the subject. Then I realised that it was probably Jolteon who told him._

Lucario had no trouble finding the river again; he still remembered when Eevee led him through the area, and the sound of rushing water growing louder was a clear indicator that he was nearing it.

As always, the place was just teeming with water Pokémon. Several Magikarp and Goldeen could be seen swimming close to the surface, while other Pokémon were sitting at the banks, lazing around. To think – if he had been a braver Riolu and explored the place when he initially discovered it, he might have stumbled upon Eevee's home. Would they have been better friends if their first encounter was then? Or had she already been captured by Greg's father?

Snapping out of his idle musings, he saw that there was what seemed to be a family of Buizel further ahead. An elderly-looking Floatzel – equipped with a silver whistle – was directing them as they dove in and out of the water. The Buizel were executing various extravagant flips and stunts as they apparently tried to outperform one another. Lucario was wondering where the Floatzel got the whistle from when the water-type used it to stop a scuffle that had broken out between two of the Buizel.

Wincing slightly from the instrument's shrill sound, Lucario rubbed his ears before resuming his journey towards the Evolution Pokémon's home. Remembering what Shinx had said, he began walking in the direction opposite the river's flow. Though he would have loved to explore the area leisurely, Lucario quickened his pace, trying to discern Eevee's aura from the various waves floating about the vicinity.

At times, Lucario quite thought that he got a whiff of her presence, but he was unable to ascertain if it was really the Evolution Pokémon or merely someone else with an almost-similar aura pattern. The waves emitting from the various Pokémon around were meddling with his concentration, and the occasional bouts of dizziness he would get if he focused too hard were not helping. Regardless, he sensed that he was getting close to her home, and he began to formulate in his mind the speech he would give when he finally caught up with Eevee.

It wasn't long before he caught sight of the waterfall. Lucario stopped in his tracks, his breath having been taken away by the sheer beauty of it all. It was huge. Even from where he was standing – and he was a long distance away – the Aura Pokémon could barely see what lay at the area beyond its top. The waterfall's width was as equally impressive, the water reflecting the afternoon sunrays as they poured majestically downwards. He never would have guessed that Eevee lived in such a beautiful area…

After a quick scan of the surroundings using his aura sensors, Lucario was disappointed to find that Eevee wasn't nearby after all. The waves he detected earlier were stronger now, and there were subtle differences between them and Eevee's aura signature. However, he suspected that they belonged to a member of Eevee's family. Plus, it was emanating from the right, across the river, which tallied with Shinx's directions to the Evolution Pokémon's home.

Not wanting to get his fur wet, Lucario searched around for a way across the water. It did not take long for him to find several conveniently-located rocks, which he promptly decided to use as his makeshift bridge. He hopped across the first few without any problems, but a particularly slippery one almost caused him to fall. Thankfully, he was able to summon his bone staff in time, using it to help regain his footing.

Having successfully crossed the river, Lucario padded off in search of Eevee's home, wondering who he would meet there. He had been surprised to discover that she had a brother, but perhaps that wasn't all – she might have other siblings he did not know about. Guess he would find out soon enough.

Lucario noticed that the trees in the vicinity were larger than in other parts of the forests, and there were many Pokémon sheltering in their shade. In fact, it seemed that some of these Pokémon have made their homes right under the trees; there were definitely signs that these weren't just temporary abodes, such as piles of items and makeshift beds made out of leaves and twigs. It was certainly a serene environment, Lucario thought, but he hated to imagine what it must be like whenever it rained.

And that was when he saw it, the source of the aura he had detected – or rather, _sources_. Chatting animatedly in the shadow of yet another tree was a couple of Leafeon, and it was clear that they were related to Eevee somehow. In fact, Lucario was quite positive that they were her parents.

The male Leafeon was smaller than the female, though his leaf-like tail was large and curly, just like the tips of his ears. His partner had more shoots poking out from her body, particularly around her neck. Upon closer inspection, he found that they both had the same brown eyes Eevee possessed.

Though he wished to walk up and ask if they had seen Eevee, his feet were rooted to the spot, unwilling to move. Trepidation had taken over him – he did not often have trouble talking to strangers, but they were Eevee's relatives… It just wasn't the same somehow. As such, Lucario merely stood and stared from the distance for a while, uncertain about how best to approach them. He felt foolish – he was wasting precious time.

Suddenly, one of the Leafeon noticed him. She nudged her male partner, and they both turned to stare at Lucario, who now felt the heat rising to his cheeks. They motioned for him to come closer – he took the smiles on their faces as a good sign. Walking meekly towards them, he gave a short wave. "Good afternoon. My name is Lucario; I believe you are the parents of Eevee?"

"That would be correct," said the male Leafeon, nodding.

His partner gave him a slight prod. "Oh, there you go again, Lake, assuming that we're the only ones with Eevee as children." She turned to Lucario and said, "That would depend on which Eevee you're talking about, actually."

"Um… well…" Lucario scratched his head sheepishly. "She… has a Jolteon brother?"

"Yes, yes, we're the parents!" Lake said, nodding again. He turned to the other Leafeon with a triumphant look on his face. "See – you never trust my intuitions, Eva! Besides, our daughter has a Lucario friend, remember?" Looking back at the Aura Pokémon, Lake said, "Incidentally, thank you very much for helping Eevee regain her freedom. We hoped she would find happiness with a human partner, but obviously it didn't turn out so well…"

"Oh, no, sir, not at all. I didn't do anything, really; I merely egged her on."

"Encouragement alone can be a huge form of help, you know," Eva said, "especially for someone like our little Eevee. For that, we are truly indebted. Apparently, there's an Absol involved too?" She peered around, as though expecting the Disaster Pokémon to be hiding somewhere. "Have you two come to visit Eevee today?"

"Actually, I came alone. You see…" Lucario fiddled with his paws timidly. "I… I have done something earlier – by accident, of course – that have offended Eevee greatly. I'm here to apologise, so… do you know where Eevee is now?"

The two Leafeon looked at each other, seemingly communicating without words. "She did come home not too long ago, but she seemed perfectly normal," Lake told Lucario, though he sounded uncertain. He turned to his mate, apparently to receive confirmation to this statement, and she gave a slight nod.

"I'm sure whatever it is that you've done isn't as serious as you thought it was," she said soothingly. "Besides, she's often quick to lose her temper, so all the more you shouldn't be worried – it isn't an uncommon occurrence."

"But… but…" Lucario protested weakly. He was extremely grateful that the two Leafeon had not enquired as to what he had done, as well as the fact that they were not in the least angry. However, he wasn't so sure that they would be as courteous if they had been there to witness the look of hurt on Eevee's face…

"Look," Lake said firmly, "the fact that you've come all this way to apologise would have made Eevee very happy."

"But still," Lucario said, finally finding his tongue again, "I would like to meet her as soon as possible…"

"Well, Eevee said that she was going to gather some berries from the usual spot." Eva gave a slight nod towards the top of the cliff. Seeing the look of surprise on Lucario's face, she explained, "There's an area full of uncommon berry trees at the top of the waterfall. It might take a little extra effort to get up there, but it's a great place to forage for food."

"Oh…" Lucario stared upwards in wonder. "Eevee climbs up?"

"Well…" She gave a slight chuckle, noticing that Lucario was staring at the face of the cliff. "There's a path leading upwards further ahead. Of course, winged Pokémon have it easy, but for the rest of us, it's just an extra hike, that's all. Alternatively, there's a short-cut on the other side of the river, but it's a steeper road, so few choose to use it."

"Oh, that's great – thank you very much!" Lucario exclaimed brightly. "I will go and find her now!"

Lake spoke up before Lucario could dash off. "There's no need for that – she'll come home sooner or later, so why not wait here?"

"But… I think it's better if I apologise right away…"

"Ah, a little anxious, aren't we?" Lake said cheerfully, walking up to Lucario and giving him a slight push. "Come on, don't be so uptight! Eevee will be here soon, and in the meantime, we can have a little chat!"

Eva joined her mate and gave Lucario a nudge. "That's right; it's good to finally meet you. Eevee rarely has visitors – we've asked her to bring you and your Absol friend over several times, but I believe she's too shy to do so." With a slight shrug, she continued on, "She often speaks highly of you though."

Lucario did a double take at this last statement. "Wait… she does? Are you sure?" He couldn't imagine Eevee singing his praises, ever. Perhaps he had stumbled upon the wrong family by mistake… but that was unlikely; they seemed to know about him and Absol…

"Yes, she does," she said. "Now, come along!"

Distracted by this fact, he allowed himself to be lead along the face of the cliff. Not before long, they came to an opening which reminded Lucario of his own home. Surprised, he turned to the two Leafeon. "Wow, you have a cave of your own as well?"

Lake shook his head. "It's not really ours; we share it with a few other Pokémon. Eva and I, we don't usually sleep inside. We Leafeon prefer the outside atmosphere, you know. We use this cave mainly to store our stuff; and for our children to sleep in too. Of course, our son has a human now, so he rarely sleeps here anymore."

"I see…"

Lucario walked in and looked around. The cave was not a very large one – it was basically a circular area without any paths leading deeper like the one at his mountain. He could see several piles of items such as berries lying all around, as well as beds consisting of branches, leaves, and the likes.

There were a few Pokémon resting within, including a sleeping Zubat hanging from the ceiling and a Floatzel with what appeared to be her son. Judging by the many piles of beds in the cave though, it would seem that there were a lot more occupants who were currently not present. Lucario guessed it must get pretty crowded at night.

"Our section is here," Lake said, guiding Lucario towards a tiny area at the side. "Like I said, since we don't sleep in here, we don't need much space. Here's our stuff," he tapped a small pile of items, causing some berries at the top to roll down, "there's our son's bed, and here's our daughter's."

As with almost everyone else's, Eevee and her brother's beds were made of leaves, though there was a difference between the two. For some reason unknown to Lucario, Eevee's bed was placed inside a small, round hole that appeared to have been dug a long time ago.

Seeing that Lucario was staring at the sunken bed, Eva explained, "Eevee has a peculiar habit. She tends to roll around a lot when she sleeps; it has led to a few embarrassing events in the past, so we did this for her own good."

"Oh." A grin started to form on his face as he imagined Eevee rolling about, and he quickly turned away, pretending to observe the cave further. "Well, this is a very lovely place to live in. It's great to have neighbours."

"Hmm," Lake lowered his voice to a whisper, "of course, that depends on who your neighbours are. We had an obnoxious family here once, but they've moved out. Thank goodness." He gave a faint smile. "Come on, what are we standing around for? Have a seat, and a bite." He picked out some fruits from the pile and gave some to his mate while offering the rest to Lucario.

"That's all right, sir, I don't need –"

"Go on, Lucario, don't be shy," Eva encouraged, sitting down besides Lake. "There's plenty more – and besides, we Leafeon can make our own food."

"Oh – yeah, that's right!" Lucario exclaimed enthusiastically, recalling that he had read about it in a science book. He sat down besides Eevee's bed. "It's that process; the name's on the tip of my tongue…. Ah, what was it again? Something about photographs…"

"Photosynthesis," she offered, looking amused.

"_Photosynthesis_," he repeated after her, nodding. "That's incredible!"

"Nonetheless, we like the taste of tangible food every once in a while," Lake added. "Go ahead and take whatever you want, Lucario."

"Okay… thanks." After staring at the various fruits available for a moment, he finally decided on a banana, picking the crescent-shaped item gingerly with his paws. Lucario had never tried one before.

Peeling the yellow fruit proved to be a fun activity in itself. After successfully removing its skin, Lucario played with the slippery peel for a while before realising that the two Leafeon were watching him in amusement. Feeling sheepish, he took a bite, chewing the soft chunk of fruit slowly as he savoured its sweetness. He quite enjoyed the banana's taste, and he decided to find some later on for his cave's food stock.

After swallowing it, he turned to Eva. "Um… you mentioned earlier that Eevee often talks highly about me?"

The Leafeon laughed, noticing the slight disbelief in Lucario's voice. "Yes, she does. For starters, she said that you tend to make her laugh."

At once, he tried to recall of all the incidents in which he had ever brought laughter to Eevee. There was that time when she nailed him with her trap… not to mention how she would never stop teasing him about the time he walked into a glass door… It seemed as though all those events involved some sort of sacrifice on his part somehow. Well, that sounded like Eevee all right. Perhaps her parents had merely misinterpreted what she said.

Eva shot Lucario an enquiring look. "And apparently, you can read?"

"Yeah… my father taught me," he replied, a little surprised that Eevee had revealed this fact to her parents. "There are a lot of books in my home. That was how I came to know about photosynthesis."

"That's very impressive…"

"No, it's not much, really," Lucario said, slightly embarrassed. "I owe it all to my father. He taught me a lot of things."

"He must be a great father," she said. "Reading is a very useful skill, even for us Pokémon. We always encourage our children to try it sometime, but I don't think they want to learn."

"Well," Lucario began uncertainly, "I'm by no means an expert, but I can try teaching Eevee a little, if you would like me to do so?"

"Oh, that'd be great! Thank you, Lucario."

"It would be my pleasure – I am not sure if Eevee would want that, however. I don't think she enjoys my company much. And especially after what I have done…"

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind you teaching her," Lake reassured. "Trust us; I'm positive she appreciates you being her friend. She's been quite moody ever since her ex-human released her; a little companionship will do her good."

"Really?" Lucario said, tilting his head slightly. "Isn't she happy to come home though? She appeared to be quite depressed being cooped up in the mansion."

"Hmm… I'm not sure actually." Lake shrugged, turning to his partner. "She doesn't seem very active, does she, Eva? Very quiet most of the time; speaking only when spoken to."

Shaking her head, Eva said, "That's not true. There were quite a number of times when she wouldn't stop talking, remember? And then there were the days when she was so absorbed in her own fantasies."

Lake chuckled. "Oh, yeah, now that you mentioned it, she does tend to be uncharacteristically cheerful at times." He turned to Lucario and said hastily, "Not that it's strange for Eevee to be happy, I mean – it's just that her mood changes so quickly sometimes that it's unnerving."

"Whatever her mood is though," Eva said as Lucario took another bite of his banana, "Eevee isn't one to talk about her own feelings. For instance, she seemed to be worried about something over the past few months, but whenever we asked if anything was wrong, she tried to change the subject. Our son couldn't get anything out of her either."

"Oh, that's right," Lucario said, remembering that he would like to find out more about Jolteon. "Actually, I only just found out today from Shinx that Eevee has a brother."

"Ah, Shinx. He and Jolteon are quite close friends."

"So his name is Jolteon, then?"

"That's right."

"Well, I was wondering about that," Lucario said slowly, recalling the conversation he had with Shinx earlier. "When I asked Shinx if he had seen Eevee, he thought I was referring to Jolteon. Does that mean… before Jolteon evolved, he shared the same name with Eevee?"

"Not really, no," Eva said. "Our daughter hatched first, and we named her 'Eevee', pronounced normally as in 'Ee – vee'. As for our son, we named him 'Eevee' with less elongation of both syllables, pronounced 'E – ve'."

"I see." Slightly confused, Lucario attempted to pronounce the siblings' names, drawing curious stares from the Floatzel sitting across the cave. "They both sound quite similar though."

"Yeah," Lake agreed with a sigh. "We never had problems with the names, but others often get mixed up. In hindsight, we should have given them both distinct names. But a lot of wild Pokémon name their children after their species, so it's not as uncommon as you think. Eva and I, we were both named 'Eevee' as well, you know. I remember we were quite amused when we first met." He cast a glance at his partner, who returned his smile. Ripples of nostalgia were emanating from them both. "We gave ourselves different names after we decided to be mates. And hey, you're named 'Lucario' as well, are you not?"

"Yes, but I sort of chose the name myself. I've never met my real parents – the father I mentioned earlier was a Xatu who took me in when I was young. Nevertheless, he treated me as though I was his own, and I love him very much. I was quite devastated when he passed away."

Both Leafeon exchanged glances, and Lucario immediately regretted what he had said. Before he could change the topic, however, Lake spoke up, "I'm sorry."

"Please don't be – I have met many great Pokémon and people, Eevee included, and they are like my family now."

Lake, being closer to Lucario, raised a paw and patted the Aura Pokémon on the arm. "That's good to hear. Keep being friends with Eevee then; it'll do her a lot of good."

"I will."

The conversation died away, and everyone resumed eating their portion of fruits with only the sound of the nearby waterfall filling the cave. Once Lucario finished his banana, he started playing with the skin again, having fun rubbing two of its sides together. As amusing as it initially was, the peel soon lost its appeal, and Lucario looked around the cave once more.

His eyes fell on Eevee's bed, and an image of a sleeping Eevee rolling about soon came to mind. It was something he would love to tease her about, but his utmost priority was to seek her forgiveness. Her parents' reassurance did little to alleviate his fear that she might never want to see him again.

A small object sticking out among the leaves caught his attention. Lucario inched a little closer and saw a small roll of adhesive tape. He recognised it immediately – the tape had been used back when Eevee wanted to get revenge on some of the forest Pokémon… Before they bade goodbye that day, he had tossed the item to her as a reminder of their adventure, and that she owed him a favour.

He had been surprised when she picked it up in her mouth and left, but now even more so to find that she had kept it all this while instead of throwing it off somewhere. A mixture of emotions was running through him; though he was happy that she had kept the souvenir, his guilt had intensified tremendously.

Skimming through the waves in the atmosphere, he found that Eevee was still nowhere near the cave. Her parents had said that she appeared to be normal when she dropped by earlier, and was now picking berries somewhere. Perhaps she had gotten over her despair, and was now plotting her revenge against him? Or was it merely an excuse so that her parents would not see her upset?

He stood up and turned to the two Leafeon, who stared at him in surprise. "Thank you for having me, and for the banana, but I really think I should go and find Eevee."

"Are you sure?" Lake asked. "I'm sure she'll be back any minute now."

"Well, she might run off if she sees me waiting inside here," Lucario reasoned. "Besides, if she is still collecting berries, I can help her."

"Hmm, all right then."

Eva motioned towards the banana peel in Lucario's paw. "You can leave that here; we'll dispose of it."

"Oh… is it really okay?"

She laughed, walking up to him in order to take the peel. "Really, Lucario, it's no problem at all."

"Thank you. Well, it's been nice meeting you; I had a great time chatting. If you like, you can come visit me in my cave anytime – Eevee knows the way."

Lake stood up as well. "Thanks for the offer, Lucario. And you'll always be welcome here; just drop by anytime you like."

Lucario bowed and bade farewell to the two Leafeon. Adjusting his scarf again, he walked out of the cave and – after determining that Eevee was still not nearby – set off towards the path which would lead him up the cliff, and hopefully to Eevee.

_I met Eevee's parents – a pair of Leafeon. It is really amazing how Lake and Eva have almost-similar aura patterns. Guess they were really made for each other after all. They are really nice, and they seemed to know who I was even before I even introduced myself. Turns out that Eevee has been telling them about me._

_They invited me in to the cave that they were staying at. The cave is being shared between several of the forest Pokémon. It is not as large as mine though… On a side note, I found out that Eevee rolls around a lot when she is sleeping. Ha._

_I learned more facts about Eevee from Lake and Eva. They said that she speaks highly of me… But then I found out that it was only because I make her laugh often. Still, I'm a bit touched, even if it's only because she enjoys seeing me make a fool of myself._

As he journeyed up a sloping, winding path, he ran through in his mind everything that the Leafeon had revealed about their daughter, feeling that some of the points were crucial to finally understanding the mystery that was Eevee. Firstly, the Evolution Pokémon had a younger brother – a fact that she had never revealed all this while. Considering how she always kept details about her personal life a secret, however, this was not altogether surprising.

Be that as it may, it was clear that Shinx and his group preferred Jolteon by far. The electric Pokémon had believed that Lucario was searching for Jolteon, when Lucario mentioned Eevee's name. What had Shinx said at that time?

"_Eevee? You still call him that?"_

Clearly his group had already started calling the younger sibling by his new name, 'Jolteon'. However, Shinx did mentioned that there were still some who were slow to adjust, which was why he thought Lucario was talking about Jolteon… Or maybe Shinx did not expect anyone to ever go around searching for Eevee. Furthermore, Shinx had referred to the brown-furred Pokémon as the 'second Eevee', despite the fact that Eevee was the older sibling.

Another matter that Lucario found interesting was how Eevee's mood changed frequently. Of course, Eevee was more often than not grumpy whenever she was with Lucario, but there was a time when she had been, as Lake had put it, 'uncharacteristically cheerful'.

He remembered it well. Back when they were observing Albert, the plagiariser, Eevee had hiked up his mountain just to ask if someone from the school had won the story-writing competition, in which case they would be able to continue with their human-watching session. She had seemed positively happy then, though he never got to find out why.

And finally, Eevee had been worried about something for the past few months. That would coincide with the time when he stumbled upon her at the lake, drenched and miserable. He quite thought that her revenge-spree would help alleviate some of her depression, but apparently not. Whatever it was that upset her that day, could it be the cause of her months of anxiety?

Sighing, he inspected his surroundings. He was finally at the top of the cliff, and it quickly became apparent that there were not as many Pokémon lingering around compared to the bottom. This was to his advantage – he quickly closed his eyes and scanned the waves, pleased to see that there were fewer aura signatures to sort through.

Almost immediately, he detected the unmistakable signs of Eevee's aura floating about lightly in the air. Relief flooded the Aura Pokémon; at last, his search was coming to an end. Of course, there was still the matter of obtaining her forgiveness, but he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

Barely a few seconds later, Lucario realised that something was not quite right. He had expected her to feel upset, perhaps, or bitterness, anger and resentment towards himself. However, the waves he was picking up were one of apprehension and… panic?

At once, the relief he had felt earlier was replaced with dread – could Eevee be in some sort of danger? Attempts to assess her exact situation proved futile, though he was certain that she was still alive… He would never be able to forgive himself if something were to happen to her…

Lucario took a deep breath and tried to calm down. There were probably other reasons as to why Eevee would be in a panic, such as… such as… Well, he couldn't think of anything at the moment; fear seemed to be clouding his mind, and he was feeling a little light-headed again. The only thing he could do now was to rush ahead and hope that all was well…

And so Lucario ran straight forward, his senses leading the way. He could tell that she wasn't too far away, which was fortunate. He only wished he could use his aura vision to ascertain Eevee's condition – it was very annoying that his abilities would fail him now, at this most critical juncture. Perhaps the recent headache spells had limited his capabilities, but Lucario was certain that a large part of it was due to his lack of training. It was too late for regrets now…

As Lucario drew nearer to the source of the waves, he noted that there were fewer Pokémon around than he previously anticipated. He had already known that the area was not as populated compared to the habitat around the waterfall's base, but he could have sworn that he had detected the presence of more Pokémon earlier. It was as though they had steered clear of the place all of a sudden. Though this had made it easier for him to locate Eevee, the sense of emptiness was extremely foreboding.

The Aura Pokémon soon found himself by the river yet again, the water flowing towards the waterfall a distance away. He noticed that the speed of the current here was a lot faster than the river at the base of the waterfall. Gazing around the area, he knew that Eevee was somewhere close by, but he couldn't see her anywhere. He took a cautious step forward and glanced around the trees and bushes, which were full of berries. He was just about to call out her name when there came a sudden rustling from the bushes to his front.

He turned to the source of the sound hopefully, half-expecting Eevee to pop up with a huge scowl on her face. However, it turned out to be somebody he had not seen in a long time – someone who he had hoped never to see again.

The Pokémon, apparently chewing on a berry, looked up at Lucario in surprise, his eyes narrowing an instant later. He turned his head to the side and spat out the remains of the berry as the Aura Pokémon let out a low growl.

"Medicham!" Lucario barked, immediately lowering himself into a fighting stance.

The Meditate Pokémon wiped his lips with his arm, eyes locked onto Lucario. "Look what we have here… the little runt, all grown up now. It appears that evolution has boosted your ego – no longer a timid little cry-baby, I notice. I hope you're aware that you are of no match to us even in this form."

Lucario barely heard what Medicham had been saying – he was beginning to put two and two together. The lack of Pokémon in the vicinity? Eevee's state of panic? There was only one explanation for this: the vile trio was lurking around, and Eevee was unfortunate enough to run into them.

"Where's Eevee?" he demanded loudly, suddenly wishing that Absol was with him. "What have you done to her?"

The smallest flicker of surprise crossed Medicham's features. He paused for a moment, apparently contemplating Lucario's question before answering, "What Eevee?"

"Cut the pretence! I know your lot has her! I can sense her presence, and I know she's around somewhere! I'm warning you, you'd better not have –"

"You're _warning _me?" Medicham said incredulously, his eyes bulging. "Ha! You hold no authority over me whatsoever, you fool! I will say this just one more time – don't think you're something special just because you've evolved. You will forever be that little coward, always needing someone else to intercede to save your neck. And speaking of your neck…"

The Medicham raised a finger, aimed directly at the scarf Lucario was wearing. "I see, I see. Good boy. You've brought a little something for us, once again. Hand it over then, and I'll let you have the privilege of walking away without a single scratch…"

"_You_," Lucario began as he charged towards Medicham with the bone staff in his paws, "have no authority over me either!"

Lucario delivered a swift swing, which Medicham promptly dodged by jumping over the Aura Pokémon. Momentarily stunned by his adversary's agility, he turned around only to find Medicham's fist drawn back, completely engulfed in flames. The blue-furred fighter bent down to avoid the Fire Punch, and swept his opponent off his feet with the bone staff, causing Medicham to topple forwards.

Medicham broke his fall by using both of his hands, immediately vaulting himself back up. "Fine – so you wish to fight." Flames covered his hands again, and he snickered. "I hope you're ready. By the end of the day, I'll have you running home crying to your daddy, tail between your legs."

Growling again, Lucario rushed up to Medicham, the staff dissipating as he attempted to pummel the Meditate Pokémon using punches and kicks instead. However, he could not get a single hit in; Medicham was able to block each of his blows, somehow managing to anticipate his movements.

His foe tried to retaliate with several punches of his own, though Lucario was able to defend himself successfully. After a while, with both competitors seemingly unable to gain the upper hand, Medicham grabbed both of Lucario's paws and attempted to overpower the Aura Pokémon, applying tremendous force to push Lucario down.

Not wanting to lose this test of strength, Lucario pushed back, though Medicham switched tactics halfway by giving a sharp kick to the blue-furred Pokémon's waist. The blow sent Lucario tumbling down, flat on his back. Before he knew it, Medicham was up in the air, going for a flying kick. Lucario barely managed to dodge it by rolling away.

Scrambling back to his feet, Lucario put some distance between himself and Medicham so as to catch his breath. Seeing that he was showing signs of weakness, Medicham gave a contemptuous smile, putting his hands together as if in a prayer.

"I told you. You're nothing. The fight has barely started and you're already exhausted. One more chance, then. Leave the scarf and scram." He cracked his knuckles threateningly. "Or we continue our duel. Your choice."

Lucario held onto a tree for support, his chest heaving heavily. Things were not looking good – he wasn't in top condition, and he had yet to locate Eevee. Furthermore, even if he won this battle, he doubted he would be able to take on Machoke and Primeape…

"_Lucario…_"

The Aura Pokémon's ears perked up. Amidst the sound of rushing water, he could have sworn he heard a familiar voice… Medicham, whose eyes were focused intently on him, seemed to not hear it. He was fairly certain it was Eevee, though he daren't look around in case Medicham caught on to the fact that they were not alone.

But all of a sudden, he saw it – a pair of brown eyes in the bushes by the river, right behind Medicham. It was fortunate that he remembered not to let the surprise show on his face, and when Eevee noticed that he was staring right at her, she poked her head slightly out of her hiding place.

She called out his name again, only this time Lucario knew that she was speaking in her mind. He gave a tiny jerk of his head as he sent a telepathic message to her, "_No – stay there! Do not come out, no matter what!"_

Eevee blinked, but nodded slightly and withdrew back into the bush, her ears flattened. Lucario gave her a small smile, something which did not go unnoticed.

Medicham folded his arms and gazed at Lucario suspiciously. "And what are you so happy about?"

"Oh, nothing," Lucario said airily. The situation had changed now that he knew Eevee was safe. His new goal was to prevent her from being discovered. "I was just thinking how funny it was that you and your pals go around robbing us forest Pokémon. I still remember when you tried to snatch away my basket of berries – a basket of berries!" he repeated with a bark-like laugh. "What, you three unable to find berries of your own? The forest is full of them!"

Lucario raised a paw towards the large tree he was leaning on earlier, which was full of berries. "Take a good look around you! Your lot strong-arm Pokémon into giving you things which you could easily obtain yourself – or items which are of no worth to you! The eggshell fragment was all I had back then, but you tried to take it anyway! I don't get it – what would you want it for?

"You guys just enjoy it, don't you? You enjoy exhibiting your dominance over Pokémon who you deem to be weaker, and every little trinket you snatch away is a trophy, a proof of said dominance. Well, guess what? It's not. Far from it.

"It's clear to me that you three see yourselves as rulers of this forest. But someday, you can be sure that everyone will stand up to you. The forest Pokémon are united – I have seen that – and we will never put up with scum like you three in our home. As for the time being, however…" Lucario raised both of his paws into a boxing stance, "let's see if I can't knock some sense into you…"

Medicham unfolded his arms and laughed. "If you wanted a fight, just say so. Long-windedness is the path cowards take to delay the punishment that surely awaits them… Very well. Let's see if you are as strong as you are wordy!"

The Meditate Pokémon charged up a ball of energy and launched it towards Lucario. The Aura Pokémon jumped and grabbed the tree's thick branch, hoisting himself up as the Focus Blast whizzed past, missing its target. As Medicham readied another attack, Lucario leapt off the branch towards his opponent, paws outstretched as he tried to perform a flying tackle.

Medicham quickly sidestepped the attack, causing Lucario to fall down, and his paws digging into the dirt instead. However, the blue-furred Pokémon was quick to turn this into his advantage, grabbing a chunk of soil and flinging it at Medicham's face before the latter could counterattack.

Unfortunately, it merely stunned Medicham for a split second, though it bought Lucario enough time to get back on his feet. He was unprepared, however, for yet another kick delivered straight to his gut, causing Lucario to double over as his breath was knocked out of him. Medicham took this opportunity to capitalise, performing a Hi Jump Kick which connected with Lucario's chin, effectively knocking the Aura Pokémon back to the ground.

As Lucario struggled to stand up again, he could see Medicham taking a step backwards. With palms pressed together, the Meditate Pokémon's eyes began to glow blue. The Aura Pokémon felt a strange tingly sensation as his body was enveloped by the same bluish aura, and all of a sudden, he found that he could no longer control his limbs.

Before he knew it, he was yelling in agony, his head feeling as though it might explode. The pain was intense, as though there was an enormous amount of pressure building up from within him – it got so bad to the point where his vision became blurry, and he was sure he would pass out at any second. And then it stopped, leaving Lucario gasping for air.

Slightly panicking now, Lucario found himself levitating a few inches above the ground. His right paw moved closer to his face as though it had a mind of its own, and began to slightly loosen the scarf he was wearing. Lucario then watched in horror as the paw adjusted itself so that the tip of the spike was pointing towards his exposed neck. It drew back slightly, and the Aura Pokémon guessed what Medicham had in store for him.

Lucario hastily tried with all his might to restrain his arm – a quick slash across his neck could potentially be a fatal wound. And as he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to brace himself, he felt himself dropping to the ground with a thud. Looking up in surprise, he saw Eevee with her teeth sunk into Medicham's leg, clinging tightly onto it as the Meditate Pokémon swung his foot around.

It did not take long for Medicham to detach Eevee from himself, flinging her a short distance away. But that did not deter her in the slightest – she immediately dashed towards Medicham, taking him by surprise as she pounced on the fighting-type, the two of them falling dangerously close to the riverbank.

Medicham was the first to stand up, glowering at Eevee as he kicked her torso, eliciting a small yelp from the Evolution Pokémon. "So this is the Eevee you've been looking for, eh?" he said to Lucario, who was trying to get up once more. He turned to Eevee again. "I can't believe you're so foolish as to disrupt my concentration like that. It's fine – I can handle both of you at the same time, but I see you have nothing for me to take after your defeat.

"Therefore, you are nothing but a waste of time. As such, allow me to dispose of you now." His eyes began glowing again, and Eevee flailed about as she was lifted off the ground by Medicham's Psychic attack.

"No!" Without thinking, Lucario charged forward and leapt at Medicham, tackling him in a manner that was akin to the one Eevee performed earlier. Unfortunately, Lucario had quite forgotten about their whereabouts in his frenzy – the attack caused both of them to tumble into the river, where they were both swept away by the rapids.

Lucario gasped as cold water began entering his nostrils – he had never exactly tried swimming before, and he was not at all used to the sensation of being submerged in water. Regardless, he managed to push himself upwards so that his head poked out of the surface. Panting heavily, he saw Eevee running along the banks with a worried look on her face. She was apparently calling out his name, though he could not hear her over the sound of rushing water. The brown-furred Pokémon soon disappeared into the distance, unable to keep up with the speed of the current. At least she was safe now, Lucario thought to himself. Unless she was unlucky enough to bump into Primeape or Machoke…

Lucario winced as he felt his body bump against a rock. He turned around to face the front and saw that there were plenty of rocks scattered throughout the body of water, and some of them were exceptionally jagged. His best course of action now was to make his way to either side and pull himself out of the river.

What he saw next surprised Lucario to no end: Medicham wasn't struggling to get out of the water like he was. Instead, the Meditate Pokémon was leaping from stone to stone in a graceful manner, keeping his gaze straight ahead. A small smile was playing on his lips. That, and the fact that Medicham was following him instead of escaping to the banks, told Lucario that his opponent was up to something devious.

There was no time to ponder what was going through Medicham's mind, however. Lucario began wading towards the side, barely dodging a particularly sharp rock. Before he could reach out for solid ground, he felt a searing pain spread across his back, causing him to sink into the river again. Apparently, Medicham had noticed him trying to escape, and had sent a Focus Blast to prevent Lucario from making it to dry land.

Overwhelmed with fatigue, it was all Lucario could do to try and stay afloat. Every time he came close to the banks, Medicham would launch a sphere of energy at him, and it was hard to dodge when in the water. There was even a time when Lucario managed to grab onto a large rock in the middle of the river, thinking that he could try climbing atop it like the Meditate Pokémon. But Medicham would not allow that either, sending another Focus Blast which caused Lucario to lose his grip.

Just when Lucario was wondering if Medicham's plan was for him to get tired and drown, the Meditate Pokémon took a giant leap and landed on a rock in front before turning around to face Lucario with a grin. "And this is where you will meet your end!" he shouted over the raging waters. "Frankly speaking, I'm disappointed. It was not much of a battle, was it? But then again, this is you we're talking about."

And finally, Lucario understood. Just in front of the rock Medicham was standing on, the river water was cascading downwards – the Aura Pokémon had completely forgotten that the river was connected to the waterfall, and he was being carried straight towards it. By ensuring that Lucario remained in the current, Medicham had meant for him to take a huge dive into the rock-filled pool below.

"Don't even think of escaping," Medicham said tauntingly as Lucario attempted to swim hurriedly towards the bank again. He formed a small energy sphere in his palms. "I will not permit it."

Lucario gritted his teeth, his mind working in overdrive. With Medicham on guard, he knew his chances of escaping were slim – as a matter of fact, he doubted he would make it anyway even without interference from the Meditate Pokémon. What other choice did he have then?

The only thing Lucario could think of at the moment was to get rid of his opponent. Medicham may be standing securely on the rock, but he was still situated dangerously close to the edge of the waterfall. All it would take is a little push, and it would be the Meditate Pokémon who would be taking a plunge. And if Lucario timed it right, he could grab onto Medicham's rock as well, thus ensuring his own safety. Given his weakened state, it would take a miracle to pull this off, but it was the only way out of this predicament.

Lucario let the current carry him closer towards the edge as he steered himself in the direction of Medicham. The Meditate Pokémon narrowed his eyes, apparently suspecting that the blue-furred fighter was up to something. Any second now…

And then the critical moment arrived. Lucario winced slightly as his body crashed against the rock his opponent was standing on, but he managed to wrap his left arm tightly around it. Phase one had gone without a hitch – he had successfully stopped himself from falling at the last instant.

Steeling his nerves, he thrust his right arm upwards at Medicham, willing a surge of energy to course from his shoulder to his paw. The Force Palm should be strong enough to knock his adversary into the depths below, thus ending the battle right away. To his surprise, however, Medicham showed no signs of shock or fear, but smirked instead at the Aura Pokémon.

As Medicham grabbed a hold of his arm, Lucario knew that he had made a bad move. With surprising strength, Medicham pulled the Aura Pokémon completely out of the water, flinging him up into the sky. As gravity pulled Lucario backed downwards, he saw that Medicham's fists were once again covered in flames. The next thing he knew, he was struck in the gut, the Fire Punch sending him flying off the edge of the waterfall.

The attack alone was devastating enough to have knocked him out, but Lucario hung onto his consciousness desperately as he fell, Medicham's laughter echoing in his head. He forced himself to try and think of a way to break his fall, but his mind seemed to be a complete blank. His body was throbbing painfully, and his vision was beginning to fade…

There came a huge splash as he was once again submerged in water, but the impact of the fall had done even more damage to his body, not to mention the searing pain he felt as his leg hit against a rock – a huge gash formed, and the water became tainted with his blood. His leg might even be broken, he wasn't sure…

His mind would shut down at any moment now, but he could not afford to let it do so… he could drown… The water was carrying him again… he could feel his body flowing along, albeit slower now… and there was the pain as well, but at least it was an indication that he was still alive… This couldn't be the end… he had a destiny to fulfil…

In his semi-conscious state, Lucario felt something pushing against his back. He managed to open an eye slightly, and he could see the blue sky above, though he was unsure if this was a dream or reality. Coughing out a bit of water, he realised he was able to breathe again. That was good…

"Hey, Mister! Are you all right? Can you hear me, Mister?"

The voice was unfamiliar, but instinct told him that it was someone he could trust. "Thank you…"

"Oh, good, you're not dead!" said the voice again. "Hey, hey, Mister, don't faint on me now! Listen: I know you're in bad shape and all, but I need you to try and pull yourself up, okay? I can't do it by myself."

Dazed and confused, Lucario tilted his head slightly and saw a small face staring back at him. It was a Buizel – he was still in the river after all, though the water-type had pushed him to the side and was now holding on to him so he would not be carried away by the current.

His arms felt heavy, but he managed to grab onto the ledge. However, he was not strong enough to climb back onto dry land. Seeing this, the Buizel hopped out onto the bank and tried to haul the Aura Pokémon up. Their combined efforts did the trick, and Lucario was finally out of the water. Buizel sat on the ground and panted while Lucario lay spread-eagled on the soft grass, his fur dripping wet.

"Are you all right?" Buizel enquired, peering over at Lucario's face. "There I was, taking a swim, when all of a sudden you come whizzing by! I see you're badly injured – oh hey, you have a scarf!" He examined one of the tails of the soggy scarf before squeezing some of the water out. "Do you have a human then?"

"No, I'm wild," Lucario said weakly, glad that the scarf was still safe. "Buizel… you saved my life. Thank you…"

Buizel scratched his head. "Aw, shucks… all I did was drag you out. What happened though? Did you come off worse in a battle or something? And your leg is bleeding – you'd better get that looked at…"

"Yeah, I will… Thanks."

"Here, let me help you up." Buizel placed Lucario's arm over his shoulders and hoisted the Aura Pokémon into a sitting position. His eyes fell upon the wound on Lucario's leg again. "Well, where do you live? Do you want me to go get help? My family is just nearby."

Before Lucario could answer, there came the sound of rushing footsteps. A tall, burly Pokémon pushed his way through the bushes, a grin on his face as he caught sight of the beaten-down Aura Pokémon. Lucario emitted a low growl; the ringleader had found him at last. Behind Machoke stood Primeape, hands on his hips as he glowered at Lucario. And finally, Medicham walked into the clearing, folding his arms and looking smug.

Buizel looked round at the trio in puzzlement. Lucario gave the water-type a slight nudge. "Go, quick!" he hissed.

The Sea Weasel Pokémon turned to Lucario. "But…"

"Just go – I'll be fine!"

Though uncertainty was still etched on his face, the Buizel obeyed, casting a quick glance at Machoke before diving back into the river and swimming upstream with the aid of his propelling tail. The trio made no effort to chase after him; Lucario had their undivided attention.

Machoke took a few steps forward and bent down so that he was at eye-level with Lucario, who was still sitting down. "So we meet again. Now, now, where are your manners, little boy? Didn't your father ever teach you to stand up properly when greeting friends whom you have not met in a long time?" His eyes turned to Lucario's leg. "Oh, I see, you're injured! Well, what a pity… t'is a true pity indeed – you fell off a waterfall, and yet this was all that happened to you?

He stood up straight and kicked Lucario in the head, causing the Aura Pokémon to fall backwards with a thud. "You should be dead!"

Lucario clutched his head as the three Pokémon laughed at his helplessness. Machoke continued, "So you ran into Medicham today. Instead of handing over a little payment as per usual, you decided to try your luck at battling… Did you actually think for a second that you could win?"

Seeing that Lucario chose to remain silent, Machoke grunted. "Not so talkative now that you're defeated, I see." He walked over and grabbed both of Lucario's ears with his massive fist. Like a magician pulling a Buneary out of a hat, he yanked the Aura Pokémon upwards, holding Lucario aloft to the point where his feet no longer touched the ground.

"Listen up, children!" Machoke announced loudly, and Lucario could now see that several young Pokémon – including a couple of Bidoof, a Roselia, and a few bug-types – had gathered around, attracted by the commotion. They were all huddled together in the distance, gazing at the scene in trepidation. "This," Machoke continued, shaking Lucario slightly, "is a perfect example of the type of Pokémon your parents _don't _want you to be like when you grow up.

"Take a good look. Rude, obnoxious, and arrogant to boot." He shook Lucario violently and hissed in his ears, "Heard about what you said to Medicham earlier, boy… what's this nonsense about the forest Pokémon standing up against us, huh?" He pointed at the group of watching Pokémon. "Oh, they're united, all right! See them cowering in fear, together!

"Well, children, remember this: the world is made up of the strong and the weak. The strong prevail, while the weak shall remain at the bottom of the hierarchy, perhaps for eternity. This holds true no matter where you go; Pokémon, humans, we are all the same. You'll never make it anywhere in life if you stay at the lowest rung of the ladder, which is why I ask you: would you rather be _this_," he held Lucario up higher, "or _this_?" he concluded, flexing a bicep.

At this, Lucario laughed scornfully. Machoke glared at the Aura Pokémon before dropping him back down. "Looks like you've found your tongue. Go on then, let's see what you have to say."

"You're pathetic," Lucario said as he slowly got back to his feet, placing all the weight on his good leg. "That's exactly what I thought you would say. I've already told the idiot over there," he gestured at Medicham, who merely stared at him with a fathomless expression, "that you three act as though you own the forest. Well, we are not stupid. All that talk about the strong and weak, what rubbish! I'm sure everyone here knows who the weak ones truly are…"

"Well, well, complacent, aren't we? As though you would know anything about it. You and I are miles apart in the hierarchy…"

Lucario gritted his teeth, growling slightly. "You've never spoken a truer word."

Machoke opened his mouth, but all that came out was a snarl as he rushed towards the blue-furred Pokémon. The next thing Lucario knew, he was struck on the head by Machoke's fist, and the world faded away as his consciousness finally left him.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

_Having been told of Eevee's whereabouts, I then set off in search for her. Upon reaching the upper area, I detected her presence. I knew she was in panic, but I couldn't find out why. I had a rough idea of where she was, but I was not able to sense her exact location, nor was I able to check if she was all right. Once again, I am solely to blame for the deterioration of my abilities._

_It was then that I met Medicham. _

_I did not fare too well in the battle, and I ended up falling off the waterfall. I was rescued by a Buizel, but Machoke and his gang showed up and knocked me out. It must have been at this point…_

"Wake up… please wake up, Lucario…"

Lucario stirred slightly. Whereas he felt absolutely nothing just seconds ago, he was aching all over now. There was something – or someone – trying to pry his mouth open, and he soon felt a small, foreign object being shoved in. He tried to push it back out with his tongue.

"Lucario, please… eat it, it'll help…"

There soon came a second voice. "Please, if you'll just let me, I can help your friend…"

Lucario stirred again as he realised that this voice belonged to a human – she was speaking in English. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt so heavy…

"Go away!" yelled the first voice, in Pokémon language. "I know what you're up to! You're just trying to capture him, aren't you? Leave us alone!"

Once again, something was pushed into his mouth. "Lucario, eat this, it's just a Sitrus berry… it will help you get your strength back…"

"Ee…" he slurred, reaching a paw out to the source of the sound, touching something small and furry.

"Yes, it's me! I'm Eevee! How are you feeling, Lucario?"

"I'm… sore all over…"

"Eat the berry, Lucario…" she said again, pushing the fruit gently into Lucario's mouth.

Lucario did not resist this time, chewing the sweet and sour berry slowly. Eevee was right; his mind was gradually coming to focus, and the pounding on his head was slowly clearing up. He was even able to pick up the Evolution Pokémon's aura again, along with the unknown human's. He opened his eyes and tried to sit up, but he was still too weak.

The human then walked over and supported Lucario as he tried once more. Eevee ran up to the girl and began to growl, but he called out to the brown-furred Pokémon and told her that it was fine. Eevee reluctantly relented, and Lucario was soon in the sitting position again.

His vision finally clearing, he saw Eevee at his side, scrutinising him worriedly. On his right, the human girl was rummaging through her bag for something. He had never seen her before. She was dressed like a trainer though, with a belt of miniature Poké Balls and a green vest full of pockets. She had a yellow bandana which she tied over her long black hair.

Finally, the girl withdrew a cylindrical object from the bag and showed it to Lucario. "This is a Hyper Potion – it's a type of medicine for Pokémon to heal their injuries." She cast an uncertain glance at Eevee before turning back to Lucario. "If you would just let me use this, I'm sure you would feel a lot better…"

She handed the canister over to him, and he began to examine it. The human did not appear to be lying; the waves she was emitting were one of sincerity. Plus, the words on the potion's label tallied with what she had said. Giving the medicine back to the girl, he nodded. Eevee appeared to be uncomfortable at this, but she made no objections.

"All right," the trainer said, shaking the canister. She aimed the nozzle at Lucario's leg and said, "This might smart a little, okay?"

He nodded again, and she began spraying the canister's contents. His leg stung slightly as the medicine came into contact with the wound, but it was soon replaced by a cooling sensation which eased the pain. She then grabbed a towel from her bag and started to dry his fur gently. Lucario nodded his thanks and turned to Eevee, who looked terribly upset.

"Eevee… are you all right? Did they get you?"

She shook her head, her ears drooping. "I'm all right…"

"Listen… I'm so sorry for what happened earlier today… I didn't mean to fire that Aura Sphere at you; it just… shot out on its own accord. I – well, I don't want to shower you with excuses, so I'll just say once again that I'm sorry, and I hope you can forgive me."

Eevee lowered her head, little beads of tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes… "Why are you apologising? After all… I was the one who took your box and threatened to toss it off the mountain…"

"Ah, but I was the one who started it all, remember? I kept shoving Kaori's autograph to you…" He sighed, raising his arms as the girl began fluffing up the fur on his torso. "There's a limit when it comes to messing around, and I've crossed the line. And I did promise not to make fun of you about Kaori… I broke that promise, Eevee. For that, I apologise…"

"You don't owe me an apology…" She stifled a sob and buried her face in her paws, drawing a curious stare from the trainer. "I know that the Aura Sphere was an accident…"

"That's great!" Lucario said in relief. "Do you forgive me then? I'll make it up to you, I promise – and this is one vow I will not break."

"No, you don't understand, Lucario…" She looked up at his crimson eyes, almost pleadingly. "I was shocked – I admit – when the sphere shot out of your paws at me. At that time, all I thought about was to get away as fast as possible. By the time I reached the bottom of your mountain, I figured that you hadn't meant for that to happen. I knew you wouldn't do something like that on purpose…"

"Oh, I see…" He pondered her words for a moment, while she avoided his eyes. "But… why did you still run then?"

She opened her mouth, gulped, and shook her head again. The waves she was emitting were a mixture of apprehension, guilt, and sorrow… "I… guess I just wasn't ready to face you after that," she said, though he got the feeling that she was not telling the whole truth. "I'm sorry, Lucario. I'm the one who caused this ordeal. I'm so sorry!"

He reached out a paw and stroked her head gently. "Cheer up, Eevee… there's no harm done, right? We're both safe. And I still insist that it's my fault, but never mind that. Let's just take it easy, okay? It's over now."

Eevee smiled feebly, and he gave her a pat before turning to the human, who seemed to have finished rubbing him. The girl grabbed the Hyper Potion again. "Now that your fur is dry and clean, I'm going to spray this all over your body. Just hang on a second…"

He closed his eyes and waited patiently as the girl continued showering him with the medicine. It felt like a nice, chilling breeze, and it left him feeling very refreshed. Lucario thought it was really amazing – maybe he should start thinking about investing in some potions…

"All done!" the girl exclaimed, ruffling the fur on Lucario's head. "I would recommend a quick visit to the Pokémon Centre though, to make sure that you're really okay. Oh, and you should let them examine the wound on your leg. You wouldn't want it to get infected. Do you want me to bring you there?"

Lucario smiled and shook his head.

"Are you sure? It's no trouble at all, you know." Seeing Lucario shaking his head again, she stood up and swung the bag over her shoulder. She dropped the empty potion canister into one of the pockets on her vest. "Well, all righty then. I'll be going off now. You know, this is the first time I've ever seen a Lucario in person. Maybe we'll cross paths again someday."

She turned to the Evolution Pokémon. "Bye, Eevee! See to it that your friend here gets well soon!"

Eevee gave a slight nod, though she still seemed untrusting. Lucario let out a cry of thanks and waved as the girl walked down a path and out of sight. He then tried to stand up again, with Eevee trying to help as best as she could. His wounded leg still hurt, but not as badly when he shifted his weight to the other.

"I'll be heading back to the mountain then… though I'm not sure if I can hike up with this leg of mine. Or maybe I should head for the Pokémon Centre…"

"I think you should go to the Pokémon Centre," Eevee suggested softly. "I've never been there myself, but they should be able to mend your leg in no time." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "Are you all right, Lucario? You ended up all the way down here… you fell off the waterfall, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did." He stretched his arms and took a few steps forward to test his legs. "I'm fine though… I'm a Pokémon of steel after all… quite literally. And a Buizel helped me out of the water – I owe him my life. I'll need to find him one day and thank him properly."

They started to walk slowly, with Lucario holding on to a tree trunk whenever possible for support. Eevee stayed close to his heels. After a while, she asked, "What about that Medicham though? What happened to him?"

"Oh… he didn't fall off the waterfall. He told his gang about me apparently, and they found me here." He added bitterly, "That was why I was knocked out when you found me. I guess the girl came shortly after?"

"No," Eevee said. "When I came into the scene, she was already there. I saw that you were unconscious, and I thought she had knocked you out so that she could capture you."

"Hmm… I see. Well, I certainly owe her one. Speaking of which, you saved my life as well," he said, causing Eevee to look up in surprise. "Medicham had total control of my body… he was going to make me slash my own throat, but you jumped in and saved me."

"I couldn't do much though… and you saved me by pushing him into the river, though you fell in too…"

"Well, it's not a big deal… Incidentally… why were you hiding in the bushes back then? I knew you were around somewhere, but I could not find out where exactly until I heard you calling out my name in your mind."

"Well…" She faltered for a moment, once again emanating feelings of uneasiness. "I saw Medicham lurking around… I knew he was up to no good, so I hid in the bush. I remained there for quite some time, afraid to come out in case he spotted me."

"I see…" This would certainly explain how he had detected panic from Eevee earlier. She hadn't been in trouble after all… though she probably would have been if her cover was blown.

"Just when I thought it was safe to come out, I heard you rushing into the area, though I didn't know who it was at that time. So I remained hidden, not even daring to take a peek. And then I heard you shouting Medicham's name…" She looked up at him with a pained expression. "You shouldn't have come to look for me… Look what happened to you!"

"Eevee, listen: everything that happened today was my fault. You see, I could sense your aura earlier, and I knew you were frightened by something. I thought your life was in danger, but I couldn't confirm that. Like I said, I didn't even know where your exact location was." He sighed and smiled sadly at her. "It all stems down to my laziness, Eevee. If I had trained more, I would have better control of my abilities. Then I would know that you were, in fact, quite safe, although it's true that Medicham might still have discovered your hiding spot."

Seeing that Eevee was about to protest, he quickly added, "More importantly, if I had trained regularly, I wouldn't have accidentally shot that Aura Sphere at you."

"Lucario," she said, somewhat exasperatedly, "how many times must I tell you? It's my –"

"We can play the blame game all day if you want," he interjected, grinning. "I won't lose."

This elicited a small smile from her. "I can be equally persistent, you know."

"We'll just have to agree to disagree then."

"You know… you're always very optimistic, aren't you?"

Lucario chuckled lightly, and they soon lapsed into silence. They had reached the lake now, which was still quite deserted. Eevee ran ahead to take a short drink before returning and asking if he would like to do the same.

Though he was very glad that Eevee was not mad at him, he had to admit that there was a certain awkwardness between them, and he was pretty sure that Eevee realised this as well. Or perhaps he just wasn't used to Eevee being polite towards him.

"By the way, Lucario," Eevee began as they started to walk towards the mountain. "How did you even know where to look for me?"

"I asked your parents where you were."

"You…" Eevee whirred around quickly to face him, her mouth agape. "_What_? But… but…"

Lucario tried to restrain his laughter. "I finally know where you live, Eevee. You should have told me that you were residing in a cave as well; I had no idea. Your parents are nice folks. Oh, that's right… I also found out that you have a brother – I would love to meet him someday."

Eevee did not reply; she merely nodded in silence, looking crestfallen. Noticing this, he asked timidly, "Are you mad that I've discovered where your home is, Eevee?"

She hastily shook her head. "No, not at all… but how did you find it?"

"I asked – oh, that reminds me!" he exclaimed suddenly as the memory of his conversation with Shinx resurfaced in Lucario's mind. "I met Shinx; you know, the one who fell into the pitfall the other day…"

He paused for a moment to study Eevee's expression – her face had stiffened slightly at the mention of Shinx's name. "Well, it was he who told me where you stayed."

"Hmph. The busybody."

"But that's not all," he continued. "He wanted me to convey a message to you."

She dithered for a moment, apparently undecided as to whether or not she wanted to hear it. At last, she sighed and asked, "What is it?"

"He wanted to say that he was sorry. As to what he was apologising for, he said you would know."

Eevee gave a contemptuous grunt. "If he was really sorry, he would come and apologise to me in person."

"That's what I told him too. But he did say he will do that one day," he added in Shinx's defence. "I think he's just not ready yet."

"If you can scour the forest in search of me just to apologise for something that wasn't your fault, I don't see why he couldn't do the same after all this time. It's not like he would have a hard time finding me either – he knows where I live. And… that's the difference between you and him."

Lucario felt a small blush creep across his cheeks, and he was inwardly glad that he had fur to hide it. "Well, if you can forgive me, maybe you can forgive him as well?"

"Fat chance. He has proven time and time again that he makes for a lousy friend. Let's not talk about Shinx, Lucario…"

"Okay…"

Upon reaching the mountain's base, Lucario sat under the shade of a Pecha tree. Lucario had decided that he would go to the Pokémon Centre, but not before taking Absol along with him. As it would make no sense for him to hike the mountain only to come down again later, Eevee had volunteered to head up and fetch Absol for him.

"All right," Lucario said, readjusting his position to make himself comfortable. "I'll wait here for you both. Take your time, Eevee; you don't need to rush."

"Will you really be all right by yourself?"

"Yeah, don't worry. Nothing is going to happen to me."

She nodded. "If you say so." Eevee started to walk up the path, but turned around again. "Is there anything you would like to take from the cave?"

"Um… no, I don't think so. I have everything I need with me. Oh, and please remind Absol to seal the entrance before you two leave!"

"Hang on… what about your scarf?" she said, pointing at his neck. "Don't you always wear it before you go to the city? Wait a minute… weren't you already wearing it earlier?"

But Lucario was not listening. At the mention of his scarf, he had felt about his neck, only to find that it was bare. "My… my scarf!" He looked around his feet frantically, as though expecting to have dropped it somewhere. He had not even noticed that he wasn't wearing it anymore…

"No…" He scrambled to his feet again as realisation struck him, only to stumble and fall. "They took it! They took it!"

_Yes, they must have taken my scarf then, when I was unconscious. I am very glad that I managed to salvage my friendship with Eevee, but at the same time, I have lost something which is very important to me._

"Lucario, calm down!" Eevee said, rushing to his side as he struggled to get up again. "Please! It's too late…"

"They took _my _scarf!" he yelled, tears forming in his eyes. "I have to get it back!"

_The loss of my scarf – a sign that things must change. It is time that I take life more seriously. I know that all work and no play makes for a dull lifestyle, but that does not mean I should ignore work altogether. It hurts. My father gave it to me on my birthday. It feels like I have failed him. It certainly feels as though I have failed myself._

But even as he said that, he knew that Eevee was right. The forest was vast; it would not be easy to track the gang down. And even if he succeeded in doing so, he would have to fight all three of them… Moreover, who was to say that they had not disposed of it yet?

_I know I am better than this. But for now, I will just have to come to terms with the fact that I might never see my scarf again._

Lucario let out a howl of despair as he dug his paws into the ground furiously. The scarf was a present from his father, and it had meant a lot to him.

And now it was gone.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Next time, on I Am Lucario…

"_You mean… you've lost your memory? You don't remember anything at all?"_

I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter – and hopefully I won't take as long this time.

As usual, if you have any thoughts, suggestions, constructive criticisms, or even just some comments about the story, please do review! I would love to hear from you.


	13. Elegiac Daybr ea k

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon.

Urk… I thought I could finish this chapter before the next semester started, but evidently not. I'm so sorry for the long wait once again. This chapter is almost a triple-length chapter though, so I hope that makes up for it.

Apparently, the 10th of August was Hadou (Aura) Day, so I wish all Lucario fans a happy belated Aura Day! And here's something else to celebrate – the story is now more than a year's old! Thanks again, **Stolloss**, for mentioning it, and thanks everyone, for the support! Furthermore – this story is now over two hundred thousand words!

Another announcement. In the previous chapter, the italicised sentences spread throughout the chapter are Lucario's journal entry. Sorry for the confusion. I have more announcements, but I'll leave that till after the chapter.

In response to** Anonymous1**; Hi there! Please don't worry about it at all! I really appreciate you taking the time to read and review, so thank you very much! You've been a tremendous support to me, and I am truly grateful.

In response to** anonymous2**; the odd thing about writing this story is that I sometimes forget Lucario is wearing a scarf as well. Absol is the true victim, however. I always forget about his kerchief. Thank you very much! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"All done," the pink-haired nurse said, patting the Aura Pokémon on the head as she stood up. "Thank you for being so cooperative, Mr. Lucario. You wouldn't believe how many Pokémon refuse to sit still whenever I try to bandage their limbs," she added, giggling.

Lucario hopped off his chair and walked around to test out his legs. The bandage was tight and uncomfortable, but he had to admit that the nurse was very efficient. Upon catching sight of the injured Lucario walking in to the Pokémon Centre, she had ushered him into the room and promptly attended to him. Fortunately, nothing was broken – he had only sustained a big cut.

"Now, the bandage needs changing, so come back once a day," the nurse said. "Come immediately if it gets dirty or you see blood soaking through it. The bandage can be removed completely after a few days, so bear with it for the moment, okay? And of course, don't get into any fights."

Lucario nodded, hobbling back to his seat. His leg did not hurt as much before, and he was actually feeling quite healthy. However, there was still a matter which concerned him greatly, and since he was already here at the Pokémon Centre… He called for the nurse's attention, and using his paws, he tried to signal that he wanted to write.

Bewildered, the nurse opened a drawer and took out a piece of paper and a pen, holding them up for Lucario to see. "Are these what you want?" When Lucario nodded, she pushed the items towards him. "Well, I've never had a Pokémon who wanted to draw before. I must say you have quite a fascinating hobby."

Lucario shook his head, but she was already walking towards the door. "There is another patient waiting at the front that I have to attend to, but I'll be back in a while. You can show me your drawing then! Or you can also leave the Centre if you want, since I'm done with your treatment for now. However, do remember to come back daily!"

She shut the door, leaving Lucario to his own devices. Without delay, he picked up the pen and scribbled a message in English on the paper: "_I have been having headaches as of late, oftentimes after I use my aura abilities. It seems that my aura senses are not working very well either. I believe this may be attributed to my lack of training, but I thought I should just ask – is this normal?_"

Upon completing the note, Lucario placed the paper on the table and leaned back on the chair, taking the time to fully appreciate the room he was in. It was quite a large compartment, neatly furnished and decorated. He guessed that it was the treatment room; there were several Pokémon lying on beds, some of them hooked up to strange machines which emitted an occasional beep. Most of them were asleep, though there was a Hitmonlee who was staring at him intently. Lucario looked away, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

Looking around the desk, he saw a small photo encased in a pink oval frame. He inched a little closer and saw that it depicted the pink-haired nurse, in casual clothes, posing together with a man in the park which the Aura Pokémon had once been to himself. They looked so joyful together – and he was happy for them, even though they were practically strangers to him.

Stacked neatly next to the photograph were several pamphlets – Lucario saw that they were recruitment ads, seeking out anyone who would be willing to work full- or part-time at the Centre.

His eyes soon fell on the object besides the pamphlets. It was small and rectangular, with several knobs and buttons on the front. Lucario recognised the device – it was a radio. The machine roused his curiosity, and he slowly pushed the power button, causing the radio to emit a soft melody.

Immediately remembering that he was not alone, he quickly looked up to see if he was disturbing any of the resting Pokémon. To his relief, they took no notice of it, and Lucario was instantly glad that the volume had been left at the minimum level. He lowered his head so as to hear the song better, and to his surprise, he found that he had heard it before: Geo Echoes, a tune Absol had introduced to him back when they were at the Disaster Pokémon's old home.

As Lucario began to hum softly to the melody, his thoughts turned to his white-furred friend. Absol was very worried when he heard of what had happened to Lucario… The Disaster Pokémon had came hurtling down the mountain path way ahead of Eevee, his green kerchief in his mouth.

Filled with anxiety, Absol had made a big fuss of Lucario upon seeing the wound on his leg. Lucario had assured his white-furred friend that he was fine, even managing to put on a cheerful front despite the fact that he was upset about the loss of his scarf. After helping Absol to don his kerchief, the three of them set off for the city, with Eevee bringing along some money from the cave as instructed.

Lucario realised that he had lost, along with the scarf, the immunity it provided. No longer could he pretend to be a captured Pokémon, and the risk of being caught by some human had increased substantially. Even walking to the Centre had made Lucario nervous, though he was slightly assured by the fact that Absol had his kerchief on. Thankfully, they made it safely without incident.

Before being ushered by the nurse into the treatment room, Lucario had requested for Absol to head into any of the shops nearby and purchase a scarf with the money that Eevee had brought from the cave. Though no scarf could ever replace the one that had been forcibly taken from him, it would allow the Aura Pokémon to roam the city freely again.

Seeing as it might not be a good idea for the Disaster Pokémon to go shopping alone – what with the stigma associated with him – Lucario had also asked Eevee to follow Absol. Though seemingly reluctant, she agreed, but he quite thought that she was a little afraid of Absol. Perhaps she feared that the white-furred Pokémon would blame her for what had happened to him.

Noticing that the nurse had re-entered the room, Lucario quickly turned the radio off and waited innocently as she began to examine the Hitmonlee. After a while, she walked over, trying to take a peek at the paper that he had placed on the table. "Hello, you're still here – where's your drawing?"

Lucario took the paper and held it up for the nurse to see, and she began to read it bewilderedly, mouthing out the message silently as she did so. When she was done, she dragged a chair closer and sat on it, staring at him intently. "You can write! That's very impressive… Well, let's see what could be the problem here…" She leaned a little closer and studied his pupils before moving on to check the aura sensors on the back of his head. "Tell me if it hurts."

She ran her palm through the aura sensors one by one, occasionally giving them a gentle squeeze. Though he felt a little uncomfortable, it did not hurt at all. Next, she began to press a finger against various parts of his head, checking for a reaction. Finally, she drew back and asked, "Nothing?"

He shook his head.

"Well, you look perfectly normal to me," she said. "To be honest though, this is the first time a Lucario has come to me with headaches, so I am not too sure if there are certain signs I should be looking for. However, I can suggest a few reasons as to why you're having them.

"Firstly, you say that you have these headaches after using your aura abilities… do you overexert yourself, or do these pains arise even from the slightest use of said abilities? You can just nod or shake your head –"

But Lucario had already reached out for the pen, and was now scribbling another message hurriedly: "_The first time it happened, I admit I did push myself to the limits,_" he wrote, recalling the time he had used his abilities to aid Absol with the Silver Lane murder investigation. "_But now, the headache has returned after a battle. I thought it was overexertion, but looking back, I did not use my aura abilities too much in the fight. I learnt a new move though: Aura Sphere. However, I am unable to control it. And now, it seems that my abilities have deteriorated. I can vaguely sense presence and emotions, but my aura vision has become rather limited._"

"A battle, you say?" the nurse enquired, apparently thinking hard. "Did you get hit in the head?"

Lucario thought back to the battle that happened in Kaori's garden. He had taken quite a few hits, but he was quite sure there had not been a heavy blow to his head.

"Or psychic attacks," the nurse continued. "Psychic attacks tend to mess up the head sometimes. Headaches may occur if you have been hit by one."

The first thing that came to mind was the Confusion move that Medicham had placed on him – but no, that was _after_ he had the headaches and dizziness. Medicham was definitely not the cause of these ailments – though Lucario had no doubt that his condition would probably worsen because of that attack…

But another memory soon resurfaced; one that made Lucario cringe inwardly. He quickly scribbled another message: "_I have been hit by an Attract attack. Does that count?_"

The nurse read the message, a small smile forming on her lips. She quickly gave a cough and looked serious again. "An Attract attack only creates temporary infatuation; it's quite harmless."

Lucario disagreed, but he did not voice out his opinion.

"So, you did not get hit by a single psychic attack then? Not even for the past few months, or years? A powerful one may have lingering effects, you know, even after some time."

Lucario shook his head.

"Well, if you're sure… What about your eyesight? Are there any problems with it?"

He shook his head once more.

"I see… well, perhaps you are still a little disoriented after learning a new move – it can happen sometimes. Try practising it daily, but make sure you don't push yourself too hard. If the problem persists, come back, and maybe we can do an x-ray for you. Meanwhile, do not worry too much about it."

She ruffled the fur on his head gently. "Don't stress yourself out, have a balanced diet, and get enough sleep. And be sure not to get into any battles until you have recovered. And next time," she said, a little sternly, "tell your trainer to accompany you on subsequent visits to the Centre – it's quite irresponsible of him or her to let you come on your own."

At this, Lucario smiled, scribbling another note below his previous one. "_I am a wild Pokémon. Please keep that a secret though._"

After reading the message, she stared at Lucario in wonder. "You're wild, and you can write… amazing. We don't usually get wild Pokémon who would willingly come here on their own to get treated, and I must say you're very civilised. Well, your secret is safe with me," she said with a small wink. "You're free to go then, if there's nothing else. I will see you tomorrow."

Lucario nodded, standing up and bowing to her. He walked out of the room, leaving the nurse behind to attend to one of her patients. The hallway was filled with several other nurses along with a number of Chansey and Blissey, all of them busy with their work. As he entered the reception area, he saw Absol and Eevee sitting atop a couple of chairs.

Catching sight of Lucario, Absol hopped off his seat and dashed towards the Aura Pokémon, looking anxious. "Luc – how was it? Are you all right?"

"Of course I'm fine… I told you, there's nothing to worry about. I'm as fit as a fiddlestick." Seeing that Absol's eyes were scrutinising the bandage on his leg, he added, "I just need to come back everyday and have this changed, that's all."

"Oh… that's good," Absol mumbled, though he did not sound entirely convinced. "You know, for a moment there, I thought…"

"Thought what?" Lucario asked, amused.

Absol shook his head hurriedly. "No, nothing. I'm just glad you are fine."

Amidst the relief that his white-furred friend was radiating, there was a smidge of sadness, and Lucario suddenly remembered that Absol had once begged his father to visit the Pokémon Centre so as to cure his ailment. At a loss for words, Lucario was glad when Eevee came up to them, a paper bag in her mouth.

"Here, Lucario." She placed the bag down at his feet and backed away, ears pressed against the back of her head. "It's the closest to your scarf that we could find…"

"Oh. Thank you." Lucario could feel the anxious eyes of his friends following his movements as he bent down to take the bag. Sliding his paw into the opening, he pulled out a neatly-folded scarf, red in colour, just like the one he had lost.

Immediately, however, the differences became apparent. For one, the new scarf was rather roughly knitted, not as smooth as his old one. Upon unfolding it to its full length, Lucario noted that it was slightly shorter as well. His eyes turned to the corner – there was no 'L' there…

He looked from Absol to Eevee; both of them seemed extremely nervous, as though they were expecting a reprimanding. Lucario could not help but chuckle lightly. "What's the matter with you two? I'm not upset or anything, and you shouldn't be either."

"Is the scarf okay?" Absol asked. "The shopkeeper told me that goods sold are only exchangeable within two days. We could go there now and try to find a different scarf, if you want – the shop isn't too far away."

"No, this will do nicely." Lucario immediately wrapped the accessory around his neck, tying a small knot at the back. He was just being nitpicky – all sentiments aside, it really was quite a good scarf. "Thank you."

Absol jerked his head towards the paper bag. "Well, the price tag is in there, along with the change. I'm afraid I'm horrible at calculations, so I'm not sure if it's correct."

"Oh." Lucario checked the tag and then proceeded to count the money in the bag. After confirming that the amount was accurate, he glanced up at his two friends. "Yes, everything is as it should be. Well, it's getting late now… I think there's enough money in here to buy some dinner for us; any of you want anything?"

"You should rest, Lucario," Eevee said, gesturing at his bandaged leg. "You've been through quite a lot today… We can go and buy some food for you if you want; you just sit here and wait."

"I'm fine, really." He walked around in a small circle. "See? In fact, I think it's better if I exercise my leg a little."

Absol shook his head firmly. "Not today though. Eevee's right – you need to recuperate. You're not doing your leg any favours if you push yourself too hard. Other than the trips to the Centre, you shouldn't walk anywhere else these few days."

Lucario sighed in defeat. "Okay, perhaps another time then. I guess we should head back to the mountain." He turned to Eevee, who seemed to be staring at the bandage with a distant expression. "Eevee, you didn't tell your parents that you were coming with me to the Centre – you'd better hurry home, or they would worry."

The Evolution Pokémon snapped out of her reverie, shaking her head hastily. "They won't. They know I tend to wander sometimes."

"Really? But you told them that you were only going to gather some berries."

"They wouldn't mind, really. In fact, they'd prefer it if I don't stay cooped up in the cave for too long – they insist that the stuffiness isn't good for health." And as though she thought her previous statement might be rude, she quickly added, "But your cave is very well-ventilated though. I'm sure even they would approve."

Absol stared wide-eyed at Eevee for a moment before throwing Lucario a questioning look, but the Aura Pokémon was just as bemused by Eevee's new attitude. Whereas she was always free with her insults in the past, she seemed to be afraid of offending him now. Perhaps she was still feeling guilty over what had happened earlier in the day.

"Uh, yeah, your parents did mention about how they preferred to stay outside. But your cave is very atmospheric, actually… I imagine it must be nice going to sleep with the sound of rustling leaves and rushing water. And with that many Pokémon around, it never gets boring, right?"

"Not exactly…" Eevee mumbled. "But never mind that. I'll walk with you to the foot of the mountain."

"Okay then, if you wish to do so. Thank you, Eevee."

"There is no need to thank me…" she said softly, her gaze falling to his bandaged leg once again. "It's the least I could do…"

"No, really, it means a lot. Come on, let's go. And when I'm all better again, maybe we can get together and head out for a meal or something – it'll be fun – right, Absol?" Lucario asked, placing an arm around Absol's back.

Absol seemed surprised at suddenly being dragged into the conversation. "Huh? Er… yeah, it would."

Grinning, Lucario turned to Eevee. "You'll come, right, Eevee?"

She put on a smile, though it seemed a little forced. "Okay."

Lucario nodded in return. He had already noted earlier in the forest that there was a certain awkwardness between him and Eevee, but it was now becoming increasingly apparent by the second. She was being incredibly polite, sure, but he had never felt more distant from her – it was as though they were once again separated by a glass door, like that time so long ago.

Night had fallen by the time they reached the mountain's base. Eevee left for her home after promising that she would drop by tomorrow, despite Lucario assuring that she did not need to do so if it would be an inconvenience. "It's not like I have anything to do anyway," she had said.

Lucario watched as she left, the tip of her tail sweeping the ground. Once she was out of sight, he turned to Absol. "You go on up first, Absol… There's a place I'd like to visit before I return to the cave."

Absol looked completely horrified at the idea. "But… surely that can wait for another day? You shouldn't walk about too much in your condition!"

"I'll be fine." Lucario peered up at the crescent moon hanging overhead. "Might be a while before I get back though, so go ahead and turn in without me. I promise I'll be back later."

"Lucario, there is no way I'm going to let you walk off by yourself to some unknown location. You might get attacked again, and you won't be able to defend yourself in this condition." Absol paused, his mouth slightly agape as a thought apparently crossed his mind. He narrowed his eyes. "Are you… are you thinking of seeking them out to get your scarf back?"

"No – of course not…" Lucario placed a paw on Absol's back. "If you must know… I want to go and visit my father…"

Absol's eyes widened before he quickly looked down at his feet, emitting traces of embarrassment. In an instant, he turned to Lucario again, determination in his eyes. "I'll go with you."

"There's no need for that, Absol, really. You just go on up."

To Lucario's surprise, the white-furred Pokémon did not object at all; instead, Absol hung his head before giving a small nod. "I understand. Please be careful though…"

Still stunned that his friend would give in so easily, Lucario nodded. "I will." He handed the paper bag with the money inside to Absol, who grabbed it with his mouth. "Go and sleep, Absol – it's been a long day for you as well, hasn't it?"

Absol placed the bag down. "Well, not really, but I guess I will. Goodnight then, Luc. See you tomorrow morning."

"Goodnight."

Lucario watched for a moment as Absol slowly hiked up the mountain path, casting one last glance at the Aura Pokémon before disappearing around the corner. Sighing, he loosened his scarf a little before setting off to Xatu's resting place.

Looking back, Lucario found it strange that he rarely journeyed around the forest at night. The area was enveloped in calmness, carried around by the chilling breeze as they whipped his fur about. The crescent moon completed the scene, providing just enough illumination for the forest Pokémon to find their way around, and yet not too much to the point where it would lose its magical quality.

Whereas there tended to be plenty of young Pokémon playing around energetically at the lake during the day, Lucario noticed that night had brought about different kinds of visitors. Aside from the usual groups of nocturnal Pokémon, there were a few families there, most of them enjoying quiet picnics together. He even spotted several couples in the vicinity; perhaps they found the night atmosphere to be romantic.

He had actually expected the lake to be quite deserted, but no matter. It was better this way – he felt more secure somehow, with this many Pokémon about. Lucario hobbled slowly past the pine tree, making his way to Xatu's sanctuary. Unsurprisingly, the path was empty and quiet, as it had always been whenever he came.

As soon as he thought that, his aura sensors picked up the presence of an individual nearby. Lucario grinned to himself – well, at least his abilities were still working. Perhaps it failed earlier because he was too anxious… In any case, Lucario ignored the waves he had detected and pressed on.

The grove was as beautiful at night as in the day. The moonlight gave the place a particularly serene glow, and the single boulder in the middle brought back memories of his past self digging a grave for his father there. Suddenly overcome with emotion, Lucario choked and wiped away a tear, walking over to the boulder.

Lucario sat down on the soft grass and ran his paw over the top of the rock, brushing some dirt off. "Hello, Father…" he whispered, giving the boulder a hug. "It's been a while…"

He shifted his position, and stared upwards at the sky. "It's a lovely night, isn't it? We sometimes watched the sky from the mountain, but the view from here is beautiful too…" He turned back to the boulder. "I am doing great… Absol is still staying in the cave with me, and we frequently explore the city together. The disaster you saw in your visions has yet to happen though, but everything is going well.

"Yeah, everything is great… but there's just one thing…" Lucario untied the scarf around his neck and held it in his paws. "This scarf… it isn't the one you gave me… This was bought from the city, because… because…"

He stifled a sob, finding himself unable to stare at the rock any longer. "I lost it. They stole it from me. I'm sorry… I – I'm horrible, aren't I? You gave up your bangle to save me when I first bumped into them, and now, I lost the scarf as well.

"I would beg for your forgiveness, but I know what you would say if you were here…" Lucario stared at the rock earnestly. "You would tell me that it was all right… wouldn't you? You would have said that the scarf isn't important, and the only thing that mattered is that I'm safe… In fact, you might even have seen this happening back then in one of your visions, am I right?"

Lucario placed his arms around the rock once more, resting his head atop it. The tears were flowing freely down his muzzle now. "I really miss you, Father… I wish I could have more time with you… I was so lost; I didn't know what to do, but you took me in… You have no idea how happy it made me, Father. It really means a lot…"

He stayed this way for a few minutes, crying quietly. He then straightened up and wiped his eyes. "I haven't been very good lately… I failed to keep up with my training regimens, and I think my abilities are deteriorating. I promise I'll change though… Let the loss of my scarf be a reminder that I mustn't slack off again…"

The leaves of the Pecha trees rustled as a sudden gust of wind blew through the clearing. The area was thrown into darkness as several clouds covered the moon, and Lucario gazed upwards again. "I'll be a Pokémon you can be proud of, Father…"

Lucario sighed, placing the scarf around his neck as he stood up again. He walked towards the trail which would lead him back to the lake and stopped, closing his eyes and concentrating. A small smile played on his features as he sent out a telepathic message, "_Absol, you can come out now._"

The moon reappeared again just in time to cast its light on the Disaster Pokémon, poking his head out from a bush some distance away. Absol's face was one of shock and embarrassment as he slowly got out from his hiding spot, walking over to Lucario with his head hung.

"Absol, I told you I would be fine… There's no need for you to follow me…" Lucario said in amusement as he brushed off some of the leaves clinging onto Absol's back. "You and Eevee seem to share a strange fascination for hiding in bushes."

"I'm sorry, Luc," Absol said, looking ashamed and yet defiant, "but there was no way I'm going to let you roam the forest on your own – not after what had happened, and not in your current condition. I promise I wasn't watching or listening when you reached here though. And don't worry about the paper bag; I hid it behind some rocks at the mountain path." He began to look around the place. "Did you only just realise that I was here?"

"Actually, I sensed your presence earlier, after walking past the lake. No wonder you were so willing to let me come here on my own…"

"Yeah, well, I was hoping you wouldn't find out." Absol turned to Lucario uncertainly. "Are you mad at me?"

"Yes, I'm very angry – angry enough to do this," he said laughingly, ruffling the fur on Absol's back with both of his paws.

"H–hey, stop that!" Absol chuckled along. His fur was now sticking out oddly, and he reached around to flatten them again.

Lucario motioned towards the boulder. "Since you're here anyway, let me introduce you to my father…"

Absol looked at the makeshift gravestone, his expression turning serious at once. "Is that where you buried your father?"

"Yeah." Lucario walked back to the boulder with Absol in tow, the white-furred Pokémon approaching humbly with his head lowered. Lucario placed a paw on his back. "Father, this is Absol, the one who's been keeping me company ever since you passed away."

Absol bowed. "Good evening, sir. My name is Absol. I have heard so much about you from Lucario, and I am glad to… meet you… at last." He paused, looking confused at his last statement. "In any case, I've been told that it was you who made the first meeting between Lucario and me possible, and for that, you have my eternal gratitude."

The white-furred Pokémon took a step back and turned to Lucario. "I hope I didn't say anything wrong?"

Lucario smiled reassuringly. "No, it's a good speech. I'm thankful that I bumped into you as well. Would you like some Pecha berries? This place is full of them."

"Oh, no, I'm not hungry. Thanks for the offer though."

"Well then… shall we head back?"

Absol nodded. "I'm ready when you are."

With that, the Aura Pokémon placed a paw on the boulder. "I'll be leaving now, Father… I will come and visit again soon." He then motioned for Absol. "Right; let's go."

Lucario bowed to the rock, with Absol doing the same. They then left the clearing together, the trees swaying gently behind them as though waving goodbye.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Thirteen: Elegiac Daybr ea k**

"_And we shall breathe again."_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Lucario tore through the desert landscape, throwing occasional glances at the pack of Houndoom giving chase behind. How did he end up here again? He wasn't sure, but this was all so familiar somehow.

The ground below him rumbled, and he instinctively dove to the side. Just in time too, for a Gabite had popped out suddenly from the earth, growling menacingly. Lucario raised an arm to defend himself as the Gabite attempted to slash him, but a weird sensation soon took over his body.

Lucario gasped as he saw the spikes on his paws retract slowly back into his flesh, replaced by two small whitish bumps. He felt weak – the chest-spike had gone as well, along with the yellow-golden fur around his torso. It did not take him long to realise that he was a Riolu once again.

He yelped as the Gabite attempted to strike again, managing to get back on his little feet and dashing away. Unfortunately, he soon came to a rock wall that sprung out of nowhere – he was trapped.

The Gabite was approaching slowly, grinning at the fact that his prey had no means of escaping. Behind him, the Houndoom were catching up as well. Riolu curled into a ball and squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the attack.

Before the Gabite could strike, there came a cry from somewhere above the rock wall. Riolu tilted his head upwards – against the glaring sun, he could make out the silhouette of an unknown entity. The figure leapt down, and he saw that it was none other than a Lucario, though he was unsure if the stranger was friend or foe.

Riolu got his answer when the Lucario turned towards the Gabite and Houndoom, his paws brought together as a small sphere of aura began to manifest. The Emanation Pokémon's eyes widened as the orb increased in size at an alarming rate. Finally, with a deafening roar, the Lucario shot the Aura Sphere forward.

There was an explosion of light – Riolu could see the Lucario turning around, a look of concern on the Aura Pokémon's face, before he had to turn away… it was too bright… He placed his paw over his eyes to shield them from the light, but a sharp pain soon caused him to yelp.

His eyelids quickly fluttered open, and the first thing he noticed was that the spikes on his paws were back. He had almost pierced himself when he was shielding his eyes… Sitting up, Lucario saw that the morning sunlight had seeped through the openings in the cave – perhaps it was that which roused him from sleep.

Lucario stretched and stood up slowly, yawning. Still feeling a little drowsy, he walked over to the crate of food and picked a berry. As he chewed on it, he glanced at Absol with half-open eyelids – his friend was still sleeping away. His mind then turned to the dream; he had already forgotten some of the details, but he could still recall that it involved a Gabite and another Lucario. Oh, and he had changed back into a Riolu… Lucario vaguely recalled having a similar dream before.

Having finished with breakfast, Lucario walked out of the cave without bothering to seal the entrance again. Padding slowly over to the edge of the cliff, he gazed into the vista before him. Now was the perfect time to resume his training.

With his current injury, Lucario knew that mobility was limited. As such, he had decided to practise his Aura Sphere attack – mastering it was vital, for he did not want an incident like yesterday's to happen again.

Lucario drew his paws together, attempting to summon enough energy from within him to conjure a sphere of aura. A familiar sensation surged from the shoulders to his paws, and he managed to thrust them forward in time as the energy was released all at once – he had accidentally performed a Force Palm instead.

Not wanting to give up, Lucario took a deep breath and brought his paws together once more. He closed his eyes and felt his aura filters rise as he tried to pick up the waves all around him. Along with the energy from his own aura reserve, the blue-furred Pokémon then tried to channel them towards his arms.

It partially worked – several bluish sparks shot out from his paws, though they dissipated soon after. Lucario was not disheartened though, and repeated his actions several more times with steadily improving results.

Roughly an hour passed before he managed to produce an Aura Sphere – a tiny orb about the size of a tennis ball, but a proper one nonetheless. It whizzed lazily into the sky and vanished soon after into nothingness. It may not have been as big or forceful as the ones Lucario had conjured in the battle at Kaori's mansion, but he was pleased with what he had accomplished. At least he now had some sort of control over the ability.

Lucario then went for another attempt, letting the sphere charge up and increase in size before shooting it once again into the sky. Though it initially seemed to work, the orb quickly exploded as it left his paws, dispersing embers of blue every which way.

A sharp intake of breath alerted Lucario to the fact that someone was behind him. Turning around in surprise, he saw Eevee marvelling at the remnants of his Aura Sphere. "They're like fireworks, aren't they?" she asked softly as she walked a little closer.

"Really?" Lucario turned towards the sparks of aura, which were beginning to fade. "I've never seen fireworks before."

"Oh – I saw them announcing in TV a few months ago that there'll be a large-scale fireworks show in an upcoming festival. You'll be able to see them then."

Lucario turned to face her. "A few months ago? I'm surprised you still remember something like that."

"Well, they were going on and on about it," she said defensively, her tail twitching. "Over-hyping a festival that won't even happen anytime soon… guess it must have been a slow-news day or something."

"I guess… So, had enough sleep, Eevee? You're up quite early…"

She turned towards the sun. "I'm always up early."

"Really?" Lucario paused. "But I remember you seemed quite sleepy yesterday morning, when Wolf brought us all to Kaori's house."

"I awoke a little earlier than usual, that's all…" she said. "But you're the same way, right? Waking up early, I mean. I recall that you were heading to the lake with your water barrel the other day at around this time. Do you always refill your water supply this early?"

Lucario shook his head, sitting down on a nearby rock. "No, I usually wake up late, actually. Absol's the early-riser. That day was an exception – I got up early, so I thought I would refill the barrel before heading out for our bet. I wasn't expecting you to be waiting for me at the bottom of the mountain though."

"Oh?" Eevee looked at him in surprise. "Is that really true?"

"Why would I lie?" Lucario asked, completely bemused by the immense happiness and relief she seemed to be emanating all at once.

"But you're awake now," she pointed out, a hint of scepticism in her voice.

"Yeah, and Absol's still sleeping," he replied with a chuckle. "The world must have gone crazy."

She glanced once more at the spot where the Aura Sphere's embers were. "What were you doing anyway?"

"Training. I've decided not to be lazy anymore."

"But you haven't recovered – you shouldn't move too much! Absol would probably blow his top if he found out you were training in your current condition…"

"Well, you're beginning to sound like him," Lucario said lightly. Seeing that she was not amused, he added solemnly, "All right, I'll stop training for today. The nurse did tell me to take it easy, after all. Speaking of which, I think I'll head over to the Centre now to get my bandage changed."

"What – _now_?" She jerked her head towards the cave's entrance. "But Absol's still asleep; at least wake him up first."

"No, let him sleep – he turned in late last night."

"Then just wait until he gets up."

Lucario shook his head. "That won't be necessary. It's only a quick trip to the city – I'll be fine."

"Well…" Eevee hesitated, her tail drooping. "Let me come with you then."

"Really, Eevee?" he asked, staring at her intently. "I appreciate it, but it's all right. If anything, you could stay here and tell Absol where I've gone once he wakes up – he'll probably panic otherwise."

"You could just leave him a note."

"That won't work – he recognises some of the alphabet, but he can't read. And I'm not confident in my drawing skills, so leaving a pictorial note isn't an alternative either. I still think it's best if you pass the message – but of course, you don't have to do it if you don't want to."

"No, I'll do it," Eevee said hastily, gazing at the cave. She seemed uncomfortable at this – Lucario could sense the apprehension coming from her. "Though Absol will probably be mad that I let you go off on your own…"

This statement reminded Lucario of his suspicions that Eevee was afraid of the Disaster Pokémon. "No, he won't – Absol isn't the type to flare up." She reluctantly looked into his crimson eyes, and he smiled. "Are you worried that he would blame you for what happened yesterday?"

"No," she said, though a sharp spike in her nervousness indicated otherwise.

"In any case, you don't have to fret, all right? He knows as well as I do that yesterday's incident was not your fault at all. And besides, he really is a friendly guy – chat with him a little, I'm sure he'll like that."

She gave a flick of her tail, looking as though she had no intention of sharing a conversation with Absol at all. "Er… okay…"

"Well then, I need my scarf… Eevee, can you do me a small favour and retrieve it?"

Eevee immediately sprang to her feet. "All right. Where is it?"

"I kept it in my aura-box, the one which only I can open. Just bring the whole thing here." At the mention of the box, her face fell, as he knew would happen. The memory of yesterday's incident was clearly still bothering her, and Lucario intended to do something about that.

The brown-furred Pokémon shook her head, her ears drooping. "I'm sorry, but I think it's better if you get it yourself."

"Eevee…" He moved a little closer and took her paw, looking her in the eyes. "You already know that I don't blame you for what happened yesterday. And I know you would never have tossed the box down the mountain anyway, even if that Aura Sphere accident did not happen. I trust you, see – I always have. I want you to know that."

She remained silent, her eyes becoming slightly moist.

Lucario gave a slight chuckle. "What's the matter? You don't trust yourself?"

"No… it's not that…" Eevee removed her paw from his and stared downwards for a moment. "I – I will go and get it now."

He gave her a pat on the back and smiled reassuringly as she walked off to the cave, still looking unsure of herself. Lucario sat and waited for quite a while, wondering if she was having problems finding it. At last, she reappeared from the entrance, and the reason for the delay became apparent.

Eevee was carrying the box by the lid with her teeth, and she was taking the utmost care not to let it swing about even the slightest as she slowly walked towards Lucario, one small step at a time. Lucario laughed and called out to her, "There's no need for such carefulness, Eevee – it's not like the contents are extremely fragile or anything."

At this, she quickened her pace, though not by much. Finally reaching the Aura Pokémon, she set the box down at his feet and backed away hurriedly from it, as though it was a highly dangerous object that would explode at any second.

"Really, Eevee…" He picked the box up and opened the lid. "It's not like you to be so cautious like that…"

"I can tell the box means a lot to you…"

"Yeah, well… My father gave it to me on my birthday."

Eevee paused for a moment as Lucario took out the scarf and wrapped it around his neck. "Don't you mean 'hatch-day'?"

Lucario closed the lid and placed the box on his lap, stroking it absentmindedly as he contemplated Eevee's words. "Same difference, really…"

Her expression was seemingly a mixture of confusion and scepticism. "I hope you don't mind me bringing this up, Lucario, but didn't you say you hatched at that clearing alone? So how did you know what day it was?"

"Oh – my father, Xatu, saw it in one of his visions. There was apparently a trainer nearby with a Pokétch… you know, I should try and get my paws on one of those devices. I bet it would really come in handy."

"I see…" Eevee stared blankly at Lucario as he adjusted his scarf – he still wasn't used to this new one. "Was it tough, Lucario? Having to fend for yourself from the moment you were born, I mean…"

"Yeah… I guess it kinda was… I get lonely every once in a while. I used to think that fate was very unkind to me, but then I met Xatu…" He turned to Eevee and smiled. "And now I've you and Absol. I guess my luck is pretty good after all."

"Don't you ever wish to meet your real parents though?"

"Sure, of course I do… At the very least, I would like to know who they are, and why I was left here in this forest…" He stared at her. "Why, do you know who my parents are, Eevee?"

She shook her head hastily. "No, of course not." Eevee took a few steps closer and looked at him earnestly. "I have to ask though… Lucario… if your real parents were ever to turn up one day… what would you do?"

Lucario paused. "Um… I would greet them, I suppose."

"No… what I meant was…" She turned her head towards the cave. "You already have a home here, but I expect your parents would be living somewhere else; somewhere far away, perhaps. Who knows – they might even belong to a trainer… What would you do then? Would you go with them, or would you continue staying in this forest?"

Lucario opened his mouth, but found that he was at a loss for words. The question had caught him completely unawares, and he was actually surprised that he had not given this matter much thought before. All his life he had wanted to be with his family, but what if it meant having to leave everything else behind? "I… I…"

"Never mind – please forget it," Eevee said quickly, looking away. "I'm sorry, that was extremely insensitive of me."

"No, Eevee… it's a good question," he said softly, and she turned back to him hesitatingly, as though afraid she would be chided. "I don't know the answer myself. I expect it would depend on a lot of factors though. And anyway, what are the chances I'll ever get to meet them? I'm not even sure if they're still alive…"

"Lucario… I'm sure they are…"

"Yeah… I hope so." He stood up, holding the box in his paws. "Anyway, I guess I'd better go now."

"Are you sure you don't want to wait until Absol wakes up?"

"I'm positive. It'd do me good to have a nice long stroll to clear my mind anyway…" He paused before adding, "Please tell Absol not to worry if I come back late though – I can't walk too fast with this leg, and I'm easily distracted as well."

Eevee's eyes went wide at the last statement. "Wait… what do you mean? Surely you aren't planning to go human-watching?"

"Probably not, but I never got to explore the shops around the Centre yesterday. I might take a look around – there's a mall too, isn't there?"

Eevee hesitated, looking extremely uncomfortable. "I'm not so sure this is a good idea."

"I assure you I'll be fine," he said firmly. He held out the aura-box to her. "I'll be going now – can you do me another favour and bring the box in again? You don't have to be so careful with it…"

She nodded. "All right… please be careful, Lucario…"

"I will. Thanks, Eevee."

Eevee grabbed the box once more, and despite Lucario's words, walked slowly towards the cave. Torn between amusement and exasperation, he sighed and turned the other way, making his way down the mountain. As he did so, his thoughts strayed again to the Evolution Pokémon's question, pondering what he would do if he ever got to meet his parents.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

The nurse who treated him yesterday was not at the Centre – which made sense, Lucario supposed. She probably worked the night shift. Nonetheless, it appeared that she had told the other staff about him, for they greeted him with familiarity and understood immediately that all he wanted was a bandage change. The process was over in a few mere minutes, and Lucario set off once again, deciding to explore the area a little.

If only Absol wasn't so strict, they could all be strolling around the city right now, but he knew the Disaster Pokémon would never allow him to roam in his current state. Absol was, of course, being overly-protective as usual. Lucario appreciated his friend's concerns, but he was sure that the dark-type's worries were unwarranted.

Though he felt completely horrible the day before, most of his physical injuries had already been treated at the Centre. Now that he came to think of it, Medicham's Fire Punch had hurt more than his fall – though it was the latter that left a more-lasting injury, he mused to himself as he stared at his leg. But still, he thought that medical technology certainly was amazing. He expected that was how Pokémon belonging to trainers were able to constantly battle without facing serious injury.

There was a mall nearby the Centre, but to his immense disappointment, it was not open yet. Most of the shops by the roadside had yet to open either; perhaps that was a downside to roaming about the city too early in the day. Lucario strolled into one of the few stores that weren't closed, noticing that it sold books. He had not brought any money, but he figured he could still look around. Unfortunately, that plan did not work either – most of the books in the shop were wrapped in plastic, and the most he could do was read the short summaries on the back of the covers.

Heading back to the streets, Lucario figured he might as well head back home – the trip wasn't quite turning out to be what he had hoped for, what with many of the stores being closed. As he padded along the pavement, he saw a bus approaching from around the corner, slowly coming to a halt by the bus stop.

An idea came to him – instead of walking all the way back, he could just ride the bus and drop off at a stop near the forest, thereby cutting a good portion of the journey. He quickened his pace; noticing that several passengers were still getting off the bus, he checked the map at the stop to ascertain the bus' route.

Upon confirming that the bus was northward bound, and that he should get off at the sixth stop, Lucario climbed the steps slowly. He nodded to the bus driver as a form of greeting – the man noticed that his leg was bandaged, and was kind enough to wait until Lucario was seated securely before moving again.

There were fewer passengers aboard the bus compared to the last time he had been on one – just a couple of humans and a sleeping Slowpoke. Lucario adjusted the air-conditioner above his seat and sank back into the chair, glancing out of the window. Wolf had been with him in his previous bus ride, but this time, he was sitting by himself.

When the bus stopped at a red light, Lucario turned to examine the other passengers instead. A number of them were in formal attire, and he guessed that they were on their way to work. At the very back, a little girl was chatting animatedly with her parents about the picnic they were apparently going to have – he smiled a little at the excitement and glee she was emanating. They seemed like a happy family…

He then looked at the Slowpoke, the only Pokémon in the bus besides himself. His human, a teenage girl sitting next to him, was idly scratching his back as she gazed out of the window. The Slowpoke stretched his limbs and yawned loudly, and Lucario stifled a chuckle – the girl immediately began to chide the somnolent Pokémon for his lack of courtesy.

Come to think of it, he was pretty tired himself – the nightmare had woken him up early, and he had spent about an hour training. Lucario let out a yawn of his own – a quiet one, of course – as he readjusted himself to a more comfortable position, closing his eyes and enjoying the cool breeze coming from the air conditioner. The bus had moved again, and its motions were enticing the Aura Pokémon to sleep…

"Hey…"

Lucario felt a slight nudge in his arm, and he opened his eyelids slowly. The driver was staring at him – he didn't even realise the bus had came to a halt. Suddenly remembering that he was supposed to keep count on the number of bus stops they had passed, Lucario frantically glanced out of the window, trying to identify his current location.

The man laughed and removed his cap, staring at Lucario amusedly. "This is a bus, you know. Not a hotel. Anyway, this is the last stop – you'll have to get down here."

Lucario twisted his head around in a hurry to face the man, causing the side of his aura receptors to bump into the window. If this was the final stop, he had definitely missed his drop-off point, but by how far? He grabbed the man's sleeve and shook it, trying to convey without words that this was not his destination.

Surprisingly, the man seemed to understand what Lucario was trying to say. He scratched his head, and stared at the Aura Pokémon intently. "This isn't your stop, is it?"

Lucario shook his head and pointed backwards.

"Hmm, if you've missed your stop, the only thing you can do is walk there yourself – or you could wait for the other bus, the one heading southwards." Seeing Lucario's questioning stare, he said, "Just look out for bus 'B10' – one leaves here every thirty minutes. Since you're a Pokémon, you don't need a ticket."

The blue-furred Pokémon stared out the window again. He seemed to be in some sort of bus terminal; there were several empty buses parked nearby, and a few people were sitting down at the benches, apparently waiting for their buses. Lucario slowly stood up and gave a small bow to the driver, who waved the gesture off with a small laugh.

"You don't have to bow to me – here, let me help you down the steps…"

The man held onto Lucario as he climbed down the stairs, one step at a time. Once they were both off the bus, the driver led him towards a small booth where a map of Ferrous City was posted.

"I'm not sure if you can read maps or not, but you can use this to check how far you need to go." He jabbed a finger at a spot near the ocean. "You're here now, see?" He moved his finger downwards. "And this was where you got on my bus, I remember. 'B10' will take you down the same route again, so I assume your stop is somewhere in the middle.

"The previous 'B10' had just left, so you can just sit and wait about half-an-hour, yeah? And mind you don't fall asleep again, or you'll never get to where you're going," he added with a smile.

Lucario bowed again and the man walked away, chuckling. He turned back to the map and traced a paw along the route which his next bus would take – he seemed to be quite a distance away from his intended stop… He had taken the previous bus in hopes that he would make it home faster, and now he was further than ever. Absol would probably be worried when he finally made it back.

Sighing, he looked at the spot which denoted his current location. It wasn't too far from the beach he had been to back when he was following Julie around. The ocean was nearby, and to his surprise, so was a port. Lucario recalled Wolf mentioning it – passengers were able to ride ferries to and from Canalave City.

On one hand, he knew he should stay and wait for the next bus. And yet, thirty minutes of idle waiting seemed like a boring prospect, especially when there was a much more exciting alternative readily available: exploring the port. It was nearby, and he could easily make it back to the terminal in time.

Deciding that it was a good idea, Lucario walked away towards the port, following the directions from the map.

It took about five minutes for him to reach the area, so he estimated that he would have approximately twenty minutes to explore to his heart's content. A couple of Wingull and Pelipper flew overhead, looking very at home in the oceanic environment. People and Pokémon alike were bustling about, some of them with suitcases and bags – Lucario guessed that they were tourists from other parts of the region.

Lucario turned towards the ferries docked by the port; they were by far bigger than he ever imagined. Several sailors stood at the side as they guided the passengers up onto one of the sea vessels, while he could see a few others hurrying about on the deck. He would have liked to get up and explore, but he was already far enough from home as is – he didn't want to be accidentally sent to Canalave, or wherever the ship was heading, as well.

He walked past several stalls, quite a number of which seemed to be selling food. Had he brought some money along, Lucario would love to try some of them, but he had only intended to window-shop at the mall… Further ahead, he saw a tall lighthouse standing majestically by the ocean. Tilting his head upwards to stare at the top, he was wondering if it was open to public access when he noticed another Pokémon standing nearby, eyes fixed intently on the structure.

The Pokémon had a long tail behind her, but the thing that caught his eye was its tip, which seemed to be covered in a red substance that looked remarkably like paint. He recognised the species immediately – a Smeargle, the Painter Pokémon, known for their brush-like tail.

She shifted her position slightly, revealing a small golden locket around her neck, as well as a large sketchbook on her left arm. The Smeargle spun a pencil in her right paw, her eyes narrowed as she focused intently on the lighthouse. It seemed quite clear to Lucario that she was drawing the building – his curiosity piqued, he moved slightly closer, trying to remain inconspicuous as he attempted to sneak a peek at what she had drawn so far.

Unfortunately, she noticed him approaching, and turned around in mild surprise. Upon seeing Lucario, however, her eyes went wide.

Lucario quickly backed away sheepishly. "Sorry… I just wanted to see your drawing."

"Oh, it's not a problem…" She dropped the pencil she was spinning and quickly bent down to retrieve it, though her eyes never left Lucario's features. "Say… you are the evolved form of a Riolu, right?"

"Yeah," he replied, surprised at the question. "I'm a Lucario."

She grinned, nodding her head. "Yeah, I kinda thought you were." Her smile faded, and she stared at him thoughtfully, touching her chin with the tip of the pencil. He sensed that the Smeargle was suddenly wary of him. "Are you from around here?"

"Yes; I live at the top of a mountain in the forest nearby." Noticing that her eyes were fixed on his scarf, he added, "I'm a wild Pokémon – this scarf is only to fool the humans so they don't try to capture me."

She relaxed, smiling again. "I see. I'm Smeargle – nice to meet you." She bit onto the pencil and held out her free paw, which Lucario took. Removing the pencil again, she held out her sketchbook. "It's not much of a drawing; I may be a Smeargle, but my artistry leaves something to be desired…"

Lucario looked at the sketch – it was not complete yet, but the lighthouse was drawn and shaded beautifully. "I disagree; you're really good. It's not easy drawing – I would know, I've tried before."

"Thanks!" She peered down at her own creation doubtfully for a second before turning to him once more. "I would like to see your drawings some time. I bet they're better than mine."

"Ah…" Lucario laughed slightly as he recalled all the times he had ever tried creating a piece of art. "Trust me, you really don't want to. Though… do you think I can see some of your other works in that sketchbook? Or is that lighthouse the only sketch in it so far?"

"No, there are others…" Smeargle said, her voice trailing off as she began to flip through the pages, holding the sketchbook vertically with the covers facing Lucario so that the Aura Pokémon could not sneak a peek. Finally, she opened a page somewhere in the middle and handed it to Lucario. "Here, you can take a look – but can you please… er… not flip to any of the pages before this one? They are… uh… horrible. Sorry, but I don't want anyone to look at those."

Lucario took the sketchbook uncertainly. "Um… I apologise if I'm being nosy," He offered it back to her. "I really don't need to see any of your other drawings if they're private…"

The Smeargle quickly shook her head, looking a little sheepish. "No, no, go ahead and browse through my collection from that page onwards. I really appreciate your interest, and would be glad to hear any comments or constructive criticisms on any of them. From that page onwards, that is."

"Oh, okay…" Still worried that he had offended her with his inquisitiveness, he peered down at the book. The current page depicted a large canal running through the middle of a city, with buildings on both sides of the stream. People and Pokémon filled the streets, many of them without distinguishable facial features. And yet, it all seemed so real.

"Wow," he breathed. "This is incredible…"

"This is Canalave City," she said. "I sat there and drew the buildings as well as the waterway before finally adding some folks in it." She scratched the back of her head, staring down at one of the faceless people. "Of course, I couldn't ask everyone to stand still as I drew them, so the folks you see here are just products of my imagination. I didn't fill in their faces because I'm not confident without a reference. I find that I'm unable to draw someone's face unless I know them well."

"Well, I think leaving their faces blank creates a certain effect that leaves this artwork all the more outstanding. And the shading… I expect this must have taken hours to do?"

"Hmm… yeah, I think so. Guess I have too much spare time in my paws," she added with a grin.

"Oh, but drawing is a nice hobby… And especially when you are this good…" He looked at her earnestly. "I bet you can even make a living by selling your artwork."

She shook her head. "You're flattering me – I appreciate your kind words, but I'm nowhere near that level of skill yet. And these are only sketches… I'll keep practising though, thanks!"

"I really do think you can make it big, if you choose to go down that path." Lucario turned to the next page, a sketch of a house by the canal. He looked up at Smeargle – she seemed to be emanating feelings of nostalgia as she stared at the picture.

"This, too, is in Canalave City. In fact, most of my artwork are of the places there. I thought this house looked so beautiful, so I drew it…"

Lucario stared at the drawing again. It was done very well, though he did not see what was so special about the house – it looked similar to just about any of the ordinary buildings around Ferrous City. He did not have the heart to tell her so, however, seeing as she appeared to like it so much.

After a few more pictures of Canalave City, Lucario came to what seemed to be a sketch of a building's interior. The artwork depicted a long, fully-carpeted hallway. Several paintings were hung on the wall, and he was amused to find that Smeargle had taken the time to make them as detailed as possible – pictures within a picture.

"This looks like a nice place."

"Yeah, it is," she said. "That's a recent one. It's the ship that brought me here."

Lucario looked up in surprise. "Wait… this is the inside of a ship? It looks like a hotel!"

"It kinda does, doesn't it?" She pointed at a large ferry docked in the distance. "See, it's that one over there. It goes to quite a few cities – other regions, even – carrying passengers as well as cargo. This hallway leads to several of the passengers' rooms, which is why they're nicely decorated."

"Amazing…" Lucario stared at it for a moment longer before turning to the next page. The drawing showed a clean-shaven man with short hair, in a smart uniform. The blue-furred Pokémon glanced at Smeargle questioningly.

"That's one of the sailors; he's very nice to me."

"I see…" He turned to the next piece of artwork and stopped, incredibly surprised at what he saw. It was a portrait of a Pokémon, with short ears and a tiny muzzle, as well as a bandana around his neck. The drawing was smiling right at him – it was, without a doubt, a Riolu.

Lucario stared at the Riolu's features for a moment longer before holding out the picture to Smeargle. "Can I ask who this is?"

"Oh, that's –"

"That would be me."

Lucario whirled around to the source of the noise. Standing behind him was the exact same Riolu he had seen in the sketchbook, though only now did he realise how big the Emanation Pokémon was in the flesh – he was tall and well-built, only a couple of inches short from reaching Lucario's chest spike.

Just like in the picture, the Riolu had a bandana around his neck; Lucario could now see that it was bright yellow with two red outlines that looked liked a pair of ferocious eyes. It just occurred to Lucario that this was the first time he had ever encountered someone of his own kind.

Still studying Lucario curiously, the Riolu asked, "Who are you?"

The Aura Pokémon bowed slightly. "I am Lucario, a wild Pokémon living in the forest near this city."

He looked from Lucario's scarf to the bandage on his leg. "Oh, so you're from around here?"

"That's right," Lucario replied, slightly surprised that the Riolu had asked the same question as Smeargle just after their meeting.

The Riolu nodded and extended a paw, which Lucario took. "Okay then. Pleased to meet you, I guess. Name's Spike – I came from Canalave in that huge boat over there, with her." He nodded towards the Smeargle, who beamed in return.

"I see." He peered down at Spike's bandana, and turned to stare at the Smeargle's locket. "Both of you have human items as well – I take it that you two are part of a Trainer's team?"

They exchanged glances, their eyes locking for the briefest of seconds before they turned back to Lucario simultaneously. Smeargle spoke up first. "I'm… probably a wild Pokémon."

Lucario turned to her, nonplussed. "'Probably'?"

"It's kinda complicated…" She cast a quick look at Spike, who was now walking to her side. The Riolu gave the slightest of nods, with what seemed to be an encouraging smile. Smeargle took a deep breath, apparently steeling herself. "You see, I have amnesia."

Lucario blinked in surprise. He distinctively recalled coming across that term in a science book once. "Wait… You mean… you've lost your memory? You don't remember anything at all?"

She nodded light-heartedly, apparently not upset at all. "Mmhmm. Totally blank. Woke up in a field at Canalave City, and have been wandering and wondering ever since."

"I'm sorry to hear that…" He pondered this revelation for a moment. "But surely there must be some clue to your past? What about your locket?" He held up the drawing of Spike. "Or this sketchbook?"

At the mention of the sketchbook, Smeargle began to radiate feelings of uneasiness, eyeing the object in Lucario's paws as she tapped her chin with the tip of her pencil. She reached out and grabbed her locket, looking down at it. "Nope. They were there with me when I woke up, but they don't tell me anything at all."

Lucario looked at the sketchbook once again – Smeargle had requested that he avoid browsing through her artworks in the first few pages, with the reason that they were horrible… What if those drawings contained some hints to her past? And yet she seemed intent on concealing it… It was almost as though she didn't want to regain her memory after all.

He handed the sketchbook back to her, and she accepted it gratefully. "But Smeargle… you claimed that you are 'probably a wild Pokémon'. Why do you assume that? If I were to wake up with a locket and a sketchbook with me, I would probably deduce that I have a human partner."

Her eyes widened slightly at his words. She turned to Spike, as though expecting the Riolu to help her explain, but he remained silent with an unfathomable expression. "Hmm… you raise a good point. But you see, I figured that if I really had a human, I wouldn't be left all alone in the field, would I? These items… maybe I found them before I lost my memory or something – I have no idea."

"Well…" Lucario still believed that she was hiding something, though he could not think of anything to counter her statement. "The nurses at the local Pokémon Centre are extremely helpful; they might know a way to help get back your memory."

"I'll pass – I don't really want to visit a Pokémon Centre." Seeing the perplexed expression on his face, Smeargle laughed. "It's okay, Lucario, I don't mind not recalling my former self. After all, my life is going well, so there's no need for change, is there?"

"Are you sure? Where would you stay though?"

She pointed at the same ferry from earlier. "Remember that one sailor you saw in my sketchbook? That man's been taking care of me for a while now. He treats me very well, and I get to sleep in his quarters, so it's all good. Plus, I get to visit all sorts of places if I stay on in the ferry."

"Oh… okay…" The last statement made Lucario wonder if some of the drawings Smeargle was concealing were of other cities that she had been to. He turned to Spike, suddenly realising that the Riolu had been quiet the whole time. "And what about you? Are you part of a Trainer's team?"

Spike, shocked at being addressed, began to fiddle with the bandana around his neck, not meeting Lucario's gaze. "No, I'm a wild Pokémon as well."

"I see. Memory intact, I hope?"

"Yeah, my memory's fine." He let go of the accessory and stared straight into Lucario's eyes. "Though… maybe I would be better off not remembering my past…"

"Um…"

Before Lucario could say anything else, Spike turned to face the ocean. He was emanating feelings of confusion, sadness, and… guilt? "I… My parents… they recently passed away…"

Lucario gaped. "Oh no… I – I'm so sorry to hear that…"

Spike smiled sadly. "It's all right." He took a deep breath and glanced around the port without elaborating, putting on a forced air of cheerfulness as he swung his arms around. "So, you're from around here, right? What's there to do in this town?"

"Er…"

"I'm hungry. Let's go get some food," Spike announced, sniffing the air as he took a few steps towards some of the food stalls. "Wonder what sort of stuff they have here…"

Lucario called out to the Riolu. "Hold on – you have money with you?"

Spike gave a rather mischievous grin as he waved Lucario's question off with a paw. "I'll find a way around that." And with that, he padded off.

Bewildered and wondering if Spike intended to actually steal some food, he turned to Smeargle. "Do you know what happened to his parents?"

She shook her head. "'Fraid not. I met him in the ferry, all alone and looking lost. He was a stowaway – didn't have a ticket or anything."

It took a while for Lucario to register what she had just said. "Wait – you need to purchase a ticket to ride the ferry? Us Pokémon, I mean?"

"Yep, that's right. Of course, I'm a stowaway as well, but like I said, that sailor managed to convince everyone else to let me stay onboard. He did the same for Spike, when we found him. Admittedly Pokémon tickets are quite cheap, especially since most of our kind are kept in Poké Balls throughout the journey, except when Trainers wished to battle – oh yes, Lucario, there are battles onboard!" she added, at the surprised expression on Lucario's face.

"But I digress. Spike and I managed to stay on for free. In return, I help around the ship a little. That… that's why I've decided to continue living like this – it's the only place I've got now."

And for the first time that day, he detected some sadness coming from Smeargle. "What about Spike? Does he intend to stay on the ship as well?"

"Hmm… He did say he would, but… Well, that is something you'll have to ask him. I have no idea myself."

"Okay… I might do so later." He looked at Spike, who was now walking back and forth in front of the shops. "I must admit I'm quite surprised to see a Riolu here… I was so shocked when I saw him in your sketchbook. Now I understand why you asked earlier if I was an evolution of Riolu."

"Yeah; I even wondered for a second if you were related somehow," she admitted, a little sheepishly.

They lapsed into silence, and Lucario continued to watch Spike. The Riolu suddenly stopped pacing aimlessly in front of a dessert shop, sniffing the air once more before his ears and tail drooped. He stepped into the store timidly and pressed both his paws as well as his muzzle against a glass screen, behind which several food items were displayed.

The storekeeper came forward and regarded the Riolu with puzzlement. Upon seeing the lady, Spike inched slowly towards her, throwing occasional glances back at the food display.

Lucario watched on in amusement. "Is he… doing what I think he's doing?"

Smeargle nodded, twirling her pencil again. "Yeah – one of the oldest trick in the book." She chuckled as Spike soon came running back to them, waving a small brown package over his head. "I guess it still works though – he sort of did the same thing when we found out he was a stowaway."

"See," Spike announced when he was within earshot, "you don't need money if you know how to play your cards well. The kind lady gave me this."

"But still," Lucario said as Spike began to reach a paw into the packaging, "everyone would go out of business if all you had to do was act cute to get stuff."

Spike shrugged nonchalantly as he pulled out a large waffle, which was folded in half. "Maybe – but it's not everyday you meet someone cute like me." He began to tear the dessert into three pieces. A brownish substance stuck on his paw, and he looked at it in slight dismay. "Eh… maple syrup… Ah well… I guess beggars can't be choosers."

He handed a large chunk to Smeargle, who accepted it with thanks as she placed her book and pencil on the ground. He then gave a different piece to Lucario.

"Thank you." Lucario peered at the insides of the waffle. "You've had maple syrup before?"

"Yeah," Spike said as he chewed on his portion, some of the syrup already sticking on the fur around his muzzle. "I suppose they're not that bad, but they do leave me extremely thirsty afterwards."

"I see…"

Lucario examined the piece of dessert in further detail. The bumpy texture intrigued him to no end. It smelled good, and was quite warm as well; he gave it a few light squeezes, but stopped immediately when some of the syrup began to ooze out.

Finally sinking his teeth into it, he found that the waffle was rather crispy. The maple syrup immediately coated his tongue – it was very sweet, but it went well together with the waffle. In fact, he imagined that the dessert would taste quite bland had it not been for the syrup.

He had just swallowed his first mouthful when he noticed that Spike had already finished his entire piece, and was licking his paws clean. "So, Spike… what is that you got around your neck there? It doesn't look like an ordinary accessory."

"What? This?" He pointed at his yellow bandana. Lucario nodded, and the Riolu continued, "You're right; this isn't just for show, you know. Nope, it's far more than that! This is a Muscle Band – it enhances my strength!" He jumped up and struck a fighting pose. "I know I might not look like it, but I'm a good fighter, really."

"Really?" Lucario asked in surprise, staring at the piece of cloth and wondering how it could possibly boost one's strength. "Does it work?"

"Yes, it does. Do you want to try me?"

"No, that won't be necessary."

"What about that?" Spike pointed at Lucario's scarf. "What does it do?"

"Well, this is a Red Scarf. The colour goes well with my fur, and it gives the illusion that I have a human partner, so that no one tries to capture me." He grabbed the tails of his scarf and rubbed it with his paw, wishing that he still had his old one. "Other than that, it doesn't do anything special."

"Oh." Spike paused for a moment, staring at the scarf. "Oh, yeah – my Muscle Band also does that, I suppose. Prevents humans from trying to capture me, I mean," he added, as though he only just thought of it. "We wild Pokémon got to protect ourselves, right, Smeargle?"

"Yep," she said cheerily. "And don't forget about my locket – it has the same function as well. It's rather small though, so a trainer might not see it from far."

"We'll be fine though," Spike said confidently. "Especially since we're sticking together. No one would dare try to capture us then. I'm not sure about you, though, Lucario – you sure that scarf is enough to protect you when you roam the city alone?"

"It has worked so far," Lucario said, a little uncertainly. "Though it's not always that I explore the city by myself. A friend of mine sometimes tag along as well."

"I see; good for you then. So…" He looked around the stalls hopefully. "I wonder what other food I can get here…"

"You're still hungry?" Lucario asked.

"Of course; it was only a tiny morsel. I can't get full with that." Spike stared from the unfinished piece of waffle in Lucario's paws to the one that Smeargle was holding, shaking his head in disbelief. "Geez, you two are so slow."

Lucario offered his portion to Spike. "Here, you can have mine. I'm not really hungry anyway."

"Oh, no thanks," Spike said cheerily. "You finish it – why don't we walk as you two eat though? I really wanna explore the area some more, and after all," he turned to Smeargle, "the ship's leaving in a while, isn't it?"

She nodded. "That's right. I highly doubt you'll have enough time to venture far into the city if you intend to continue staying in the boat with me."

"That's okay; I can just explore around here."

"Wait," Lucario interjected, lowering the piece of waffle which he was just about to bite. "You're leaving soon?"

"Yeah," Smeargle answered. "The next stop is Snowpoint City, if I'm not wrong. After that, I'm pretty sure we're headed to a different region. Oh, that should be fun. I'm really looking forward to it."

Spike whirled around to face her, his expression aghast. "Another region already? I thought the ferry will be making one more round in Sinnoh before that?"

"Well, no…" Smeargle gave the Riolu a rather sympathetic look, placing her paw on his shoulder. "I told you, Spike… it is unlikely we will come back anytime soon. You know… you needn't follow if you don't want to…"

Spike placed a paw on his yellow band and stared at the ocean. "No, I… I'll come with you…"

His voice came out in barely a whisper, and Lucario noted that his tail was drooping once again, though the Aura Pokémon was sure that the despair was genuine this time. The little blue-furred fighting-type was thinking hard about something, and it seemed as though he was having a huge internal conflict. Lucario threw Smeargle a questioning gaze, but she was looking at Spike uneasily.

"Well," Spike said, trying – and failing – to sound cheerful as he wheeled around again. "Let's not waste any time then. Let's take a walk…"

The trio strolled along the side of the port, with Spike leading the group. The Riolu glanced at each of the stores he passed by, though Lucario could tell that his mind was preoccupied. Smeargle, on the other hand, was keeping a constant watch on Spike as she finished off what remained of her waffle.

Lucario was aware that he would have to leave soon if he were to catch the next bus going back, but he found himself wanting to stick with Smeargle and Spike for a little while longer. The two of them intrigued him to no end – there was the amnesiac Painter Pokémon, jolly and carefree, seemingly content with letting her past remain forgotten.

Then there was Spike, the first Riolu he had ever encountered. The Emanation Pokémon was bursting with energy and enthusiasm, and yet, he had revealed earlier about the death of his parents… Lucario felt it would be tactless to enquire further about the matter, but he couldn't help feeling curious. Spike was clearly upset when he found out that the ferry might not be coming back to Sinnoh anytime soon…

If anything, the Riolu reminded him of Absol. Could it be that his parents were murdered, and that he wanted to linger around so as to exact his vengeance on the criminals?

He also noticed that there were some similarities between Smeargle and Spike. Other than the fact that they both had arrived from the same ferry, they also had human items in their possessions. Furthermore, Lucario was sure that they were hiding something from him. He could not blame them though; he was, after all, a complete stranger.

"Ice-cream!" Spike announced happily out of the blue, his tail wagging slightly as he dashed ahead towards a tiny store, in which a large plastic replica of an ice-cream had been placed at the front. Lucario knew his sudden cheerful demeanour was but a façade, but even that quickly evaporated as the Riolu's face fell, his shoulders sagging. Lucario rushed ahead to see what the problem was.

A piece of paper had been taped on the replica, bearing the message '_Back in 30 minutes_'.

Smeargle, who had caught up to them, patted Spike on the back after reading the sign. "Too bad, you'll have to wait it out then."

"But half-an-hour is such a long time," Spike whined.

Lucario stared at them both, completely bewildered. "You two can read?"

They turned to him simultaneously; Spike was nonchalant, though Smeargle seemed taken aback. The Riolu placed a paw on his chest. "What can I say? I am a multitalented Pokémon, after all."

Lucario scratched his head, scrutinising Spike a little while longer before focusing on Smeargle. "But… what about you? How is it that you are able to read and draw so well when you have lost your memory? Unless you have picked up these skills only recently?"

"No, I'm pretty sure I've known how to do those all along," Smeargle said slowly, apparently thinking hard. "You see… folks with amnesia tend to retain some basic skills and memories, though I guess it depends on several factors, such as how they got amnesia in the first place. At least, I think so. I suppose I'm one of the lucky ones; I'm still able to walk and talk, at the very least."

"Well, you seem to have retained quite a lot of skills," Lucario pointed out. "You're very knowledgeable, and you draw extremely well."

"Oh, you're flattering me again," Smeargle said sheepishly. "I might be able to explain that a little as well – ever heard of the term 'muscle memory', Lucario?"

"I have heard of 'Muscle Band'…" he replied, smiling at Spike. "But no, I am not familiar with that term."

"I'll elaborate – but I must say this: I'm not a doctor, okay? Don't go blaming me if my facts aren't accurate." Smeargle folded her arms, suddenly reminding Lucario of a teacher about to deliver a lengthy explanation. "Now, about muscle memory… I'm sure you have heard that practice makes perfect. When picking up a new skill – playing a piano, for instance – you might have difficulties at first. Perhaps your paws are too large to do it properly – perhaps you have trouble even knowing which keys to press.

"Over time, however, you'll get used to doing it. Your movement will become so fluid to the point where playing the piano has become a reflex – automatic – you might even be able to do it with your eyes closed! Your paws just know when and where to move, as though they have minds of their own."

"I see…" Lucario found himself recalling of the times when he first learned how to write. He could still remember when he had to use both paws just to hold a brush… He had improved a lot since then, though oddly enough, he had never thought about it.

"It's the same with drawing, I believe," Smeargle continued as she held out her pencil, its tip facing upwards. "The right amount of pressure – the correct method of shading – perhaps these skills are what I have inherited from my past self, eh?" She gave a noncommittal shrug. "Or maybe it's just because I'm a Smeargle, and all Smeargle are like that. I wouldn't know; I've never met another one of my kind."

"Or maybe you have met a Smeargle before – but you just don't remember," Lucario pointed out.

Smeargle nodded. "Yep, you're right about that."

"Well, that's all very interesting. Based on what you've said though, it's safe to say that your past self must have enjoyed reading, isn't it? Or at the very least, you have learnt how to read…"

"Maybe," Smeargle said slowly. "I try not to think too much of my past though. No use crying over spilt milk, right? My mind's been reduced to a blank canvas, so I should just fill it up again with a new drawing instead of trying to recreate an old one. Like I said –"

At that moment, Smeargle stopped talking as she looked past Lucario. Surprised, the Aura Pokémon turned around and noticed a man running up to them, smiling and waving. It was an indication of how good Smeargle's drawing skills were that he recognised the human immediately – it was the sailor who had persuaded his crew to let the Painter Pokémon stay on in the ferry.

The man, still in uniform, chuckled as he caught up to them, his eyes fixed on Lucario. "I see you've found another friend," he said in a rather husky voice to Smeargle before greeting the Aura Pokémon, who nodded in reply. "Is he going to stay onboard without a ticket as well?"

Lucario quickly shook his head, but the sailor laughed. "I was only joking. Actually, Smeargle, I came to ask about the tools." Seeing that she was confused, he added, "You know, the ones from the toolbox that you borrowed the other day for your art experiment; the same ones you promised to return later," he added sharply, though there was a wide smile on his face. "It's kind of urgent – we need them right away."

Smeargle placed a paw over her mouth as she gasped, sending out waves of embarrassment. "Oops… I forgot to put them back where they belong. I'll go and show him," she said to Lucario and Spike. "I'll catch up with you guys later."

"All right; see ya then," Spike said, waving to both Smeargle and the man.

She walked off towards the ferry, still carrying her sketchbook and pencil. Lucario could see the sailor conversing with her as they left together – his aura was pleasant; the blue-furred Pokémon could see why she was content with staying onboard with him. The pair seemed to have established an amazing rapport in what little time they have apparently known each other.

Lucario shifted his attention to Spike, who was staring after them with a troubled expression. "So, Spike, what do you want to do now?"

Jolted out of his reverie, the Riolu looked at Lucario blankly for a few seconds before answering. "I've no idea. What do _you_ want to do?"

"I live nearby; if there's something I wished to do, I could do it any other time. You, however, will be leaving soon, no?"

As he expected, Spike's face fell. The little fighting-type did not reply; instead, he walked forward to a store selling souvenirs, staring unseeingly at a postcard display. Lucario followed his gaze – the Riolu's eyes were fixed on a particular one bearing a panoramic view of Canalave City.

When Lucario felt he could not restrain his curiosity any longer, he asked, "Spike, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered cheerily, not taking his eyes off the postcard. "How about you?"

"I'm… fine as well…"

"Really?" Spike asked, turning to Lucario at last. "You seem a little down, if I may say so."

"Am I?" he said, slightly taken aback. Spike was, he reminded himself, a Riolu after all, but Lucario did not expect the Emanation Pokémon to detect his melancholy – especially not since he had tried to shelve it from his mind. "I assure you I'm okay. It's you I'm worried about."

"Yeah? Why?"

"Well… you didn't seem keen on continuing your journey with Smeargle." He paused to study Spike's reaction – the Riolu remained stoic, staring at Lucario intently as he waited for the Aura Pokémon to continue. "Forgive me if I'm being intrusive, but am I right to assume that you have some unfinished business here at Sinnoh?"

"No," Spike said nonchalantly. "I just don't feel comfortable going to a different region, that's all. I've been in Sinnoh since the day I hatched."

"Okay…" Lucario looked at the postcard again. "Do you plan on heading back to Canalave then?"

Spike let out a short, mirthless laugh. "I can't even if I wanted to. Smeargle helped speak up for me when they found out I didn't have a ticket, but she won't be there if I decide to get on another ship heading back. Another way would be to follow her – but who knows when the ferry will finally come back to Sinnoh."

"You know… if you really want to go back, I think I can help you." At this, Spike tilted his head slightly in confusion, and Lucario smiled. "I have some money in my possession – I could buy you a ticket."

The Riolu's eyes widened. "You have money?" He looked around Lucario's body hurriedly, as though expecting a pouch full of cash to magically appear. "But…"

"I keep it in my home. I could spare some, if you truly wish to buy a ticket back."

"Oh… that's very… but…"

The Aura Pokémon watched bewilderedly as a smile appeared on Spike's features, only for it to transform into a pained grimace an instant later. The Riolu brought a paw to his band again and turned away, looking conflicted. "Thank you, but…"

Lucario studied him intently. "You don't wish to go back?"

"Maybe not…" he said uncertainly.

Lucario paused before continuing. "So… you're going with Smeargle then?"

Spike lowered his head without answering. It was clear that he did not wish to leave Sinnoh, but Lucario was unsure as to why the Riolu refused to head back to Canalave when he so clearly wanted to. He suspected it was because of Spike's parents, but he felt it would be tactless to ask.

Spike might have reminded Lucario of Absol earlier, but seeing how lost he looked at the moment brought back images of a different Riolu to the Aura Pokémon's mind – one whom Lucario was very familiar with indeed… "I can think of something else you could do."

The Emanation Pokémon looked up into his crimson eyes. "Hmm?"

"You could stay with me."

Spike gaped at him. "What?"

"I know what it's like, not having a place to go. It seems like you want to return to Canalave, but something's holding you back. You don't want to go with Smeargle either, as it might be a long time before you come back to Sinnoh. Therefore, you could stay with me. I know I'm practically a stranger to you, but you can easily go back to Canalave anytime you like."

The Riolu rubbed his chin with a paw, contemplating Lucario's offer. He seemed tempted, though still hesitant. "Where did you say you live again?"

"I live in a cave up on a mountain in the forest."

"And you're sure you won't mind sharing it with me? For a little while, at least?"

"I'm positive. I should also mention though: there is an Absol living with me as well."

"An Absol?" Spike asked in surprise. "Well… I don't mind, but… you're offering to do all these for me, even though we just met? I really don't want to impose on you…"

"Yes, we have only just met, but that doesn't mean I can't lend a helping paw," Lucario said with a smile. "After all, everyone starts off as strangers, no? Besides, having you stay at my place isn't a big deal at all. As for the ship ticket, it's not like it costs an arm and a tail or something – Smeargle told me they are cheap. Trust me, you won't be imposing at all."

"Hmm… if you're sure…"

"Is that a 'yes', then?"

"I'll… I'll think about it."

Lucario nodded. "All right. Just let me know when you have come to a decision."

The two entered the souvenir shop, with Spike giving a very cheerful greeting to the woman in charge behind the counter. Though the Riolu put up a good show of enthusiasm over every little trinket on display, Lucario knew that the Riolu's mind was elsewhere. There was a certain aura hovering about Spike like a dark cloud – a persisting worry – and it occurred to Lucario that the aura had been there all along, from the moment he first met the Emanation Pokémon.

"Look, they even have lockets here," Spike said in amusement as he pointed towards a revolving stand, on which a number of cheap-looking lockets had been hung amidst keychains and other things.

"They look nothing like Smeargle's though."

"Yeah." Spike took one of the lockets off the stand and felt it his paws. "Her locket is heavier than it looks, you know. That's high quality there – this one, however," he tossed the locket up and caught it again as it fell, "can't hold a candle to Smeargle's."

Lucario watched the Riolu with interest. "That's an English expression, isn't it?"

Spike, who was busy placing the locket back, appeared not to have heard him. "What?"

"Holding candles. I'm surprised you know the saying – so it seems that your plethora of talents includes mastery of idioms…"

"Oh." Spike mumbled something indistinct as he scratched his head. Though he was boasting earlier about how he was a 'multi-talented Pokémon', he was now visibly uncomfortable. "I'm not really that good, actually… I only know a few…"

"That's quite a feat in itself, actually, especially for a wild Pokémon such as yourself. I notice it's usually the Pokémon who have close contacts with humans that use idioms. Speaking of which, Smeargle also used an English expression earlier…"

"Yeah, that's right!" the Riolu exclaimed, suddenly cheerful again. "She knows a lot of things, that Smeargle. I learnt loads from her, and that includes a variety of English sayings."

"Really? That's certainly remarkable. It makes you wonder what sort of life she led prior to her loss of memory…"

"A great one, I'm sure," Spike said nonchalantly, his eyes returning to the revolving stand as he scanned around the shop once more.

"She seems content with her new life though; no reservations at all in letting her old self slip away."

Spike rubbed his chin as he stared at Lucario again, a solemn expression taking over his features. "Is that so?"

Lucario returned his gaze tentatively. "You don't feel the same way?"

"Eh… I guess she does seem very optimistic at times…But she's happy staying with that sailor, so I suppose it's all good, isn't it? It's really lucky of her to have bumped into him – she'd be all alone otherwise. It's a good thing she doesn't suffer from seasickness," he added with a giggle.

"Well… what if she regains her memory someday, and discovers that she had a different human partner in her past life? Would she go back to who she was before, or would she continue staying with that man?" Lucario asked, suddenly remembering the question that Eevee had asked him before he left the mountain in the morning.

"That's… quite a dilemma, isn't it?" Spike said thoughtfully. "I wouldn't know. However, I agree with Smeargle – I doubt she had a human partner. She's probably wild… like you and me."

"Oh? And why do you think so?"

The Emanation Pokémon shrugged. "I sorta agree with what she said. If she had a human partner, she probably would be safe and snug at home by now. There'd probably be missing posters of her pasted around town or something, I dunno. And since she can read, she would have spotted them. But nope, here she is, sailing the high seas."

"Well, okay, but now I have a different question – what if she had a family in the forest or something? Wild Pokémon wouldn't be able to put up posters easily, would they? Would she return to her family then, if she discovered that she had one?"

"Ah. That's a bit more complicated. Family…" Spike began, and Lucario was startled when there was a sudden upsurge of melancholy from the Riolu. "Family's important."

They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, and Lucario pretended to be fascinated by several photo frames placed on a rack. To his relief, Spike reverted back to his semi-cheerful self again, and they spent several more minutes walking about the shop.

"Oh, look, Smeargle's back!" Spike exclaimed suddenly, just as Lucario was looking at some miniature Pokémon figurines. The Riolu dashed towards the store's entrance and waves his arms around, yelling for Smeargle's attention.

Noticing him, Smeargle smiled and trotted on over, still carrying the sketchbook in her arms. The Painter Pokémon had barely moved a few steps when what appeared to be a huge, round rock flew from somewhere out of Lucario's field of vision, hitting her head and bouncing off to the ground.

Upon impact, Smeargle winced and stopped walking immediately as she peered down at the foreign object curiously. Unable to see what exactly it was, Lucario hobbled slowly towards where Spike was standing, bemused. It had stopped bouncing, and he could make out its red and whitish colour… At the same time, Spike gave a panicked yell, drawing curious stares from the shopkeeper and her assistant.

With an increasing sense of foreboding, Lucario quickened his pace. Spike was already running out when Smeargle was tackled by a flying black blur, her sketchbook flying out of her paws and landing a distance away. The Painter Pokémon had been pinned by a Weavile, whose fist had been drawn back, charging a punch.

Lucario rushed ahead, trying his best to ignore the stabbing pain in his injured foot, but Spike had already leapt into action, pulling the dark-type away from the Painter Pokémon. As the two exchanged blows, Lucario's gaze fell upon the object which had hit Smeargle. It was no rock, but a Poké Ball, lying half-open near the sketchbook.

"Stop – interfering!" the Weavile roared as he began to swipe at the Riolu wildly.

"Stay away from Smeargle then!" Spike yelled, leaping backwards.

The dark-type gave a frustrated growl as his claws struck thin air. "It's not like I want to do this either!"

At this point, Smeargle had gotten back to her feet, and despite looking shaken, was searching for an opening in which she could enter the fray to aid Spike. Noticing what she was doing, the Riolu shook his head hastily. "Get back – I can handle this!"

Lucario, still a little confused about the Poké Ball which seemingly came out of nowhere, snapped out of his reverie. "Smeargle! Quick, in here!"

Though hesitant, she obeyed, turning around and making a dash towards the safety of the shop. At that instant, the Weavile forcefully tossed Spike aside and lunged at Smeargle, knocking her down once more.

Before Lucario could rush to her help, a voice called out from the small crowd that had assembled to watch the scuffle. "No! Forget the Smeargle – go for the Riolu instead! Wear him down with an Icy Wind or something!"

The Aura Pokémon turned to the source of the sound. A man with unkempt hair had pushed his way to the front of the crowd – he was dressed in a tattered vest over a white shirt, and there was a small device in his right hand. At his words, the Weavile grunted and released his grip on Smeargle, turning to Riolu as he sent out a steady stream of chilly air from his mouth.

Hoping that Spike would be able to fend for himself, Lucario ran as fast as he could to Smeargle's side, staring at the man. Their eyes met, and the human stopped yelling out instructions to the Weavile. Lucario could sense surprise emanating from him, followed by feelings of – if his interpretations were correct – delight and greed.

A short woman tapped the man on the shoulder, and he turned around irritably. "What?"

"This is a public place – please cease the battle and recall your Pokémon at once. Someone could get really hurt, and I'm not talking about just the Pokémon here."

"The last time I checked, catching a wild Pokémon is not against the law," the man replied hotly. "I was going for that Smeargle, but this crazy Riolu just had to interrupt by attacking my Weavile! I'm not one to back down from a challenge!"

"Even so, you –"

"Look, I'm trying to concentrate here – if you interrupt me one more time, I'll get the Weavile to attack you instead!"

The woman glared at him and stormed off. Grinning smugly, the man turned back to the battle, egging Weavile on. Several people in the crowd began to mumble among themselves, shaking their heads and throwing looks of disgust at him, though no one seemed willing to stand up to him.

Lucario took his eyes off the man and examined Smeargle, who was watching the fight anxiously. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm not hurt at all. But Spike…"

"Go in the shop and wait; I'll try to break up the fight."

Shifting his attention back to the ongoing battle, Lucario found that Spike did not need his help at all. He was prancing about wildly as he dodged every single attack that Weavile threw at him, looking positively gleeful – somewhat arrogant, even. He was fast, and appeared to be very experienced in fighting; perhaps there was some weight to his earlier claims after all.

After failing to strike the Riolu with his claws for what seemed like the umpteenth time, Weavile gave an irritated grunt and inhaled deeply before releasing another jet of Icy Wind. At this, Spike grinned toothily, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. Without wasting any time, he bounded straight towards the man commanding the Weavile, leaping right up and perching himself atop the man's head.

Weavile, who was directing the attack towards Spike, failed to stop himself in time, causing a blast of snow and hail to hit his master in the face. The man cried out in agony, and Spike laughed as he used the human's head as a springboard to launch himself back onto the ground. The Emanation Pokémon waved his arms in celebration and bowed to the small crowd like an entertainer after a performance.

The man cursed loudly, clutching onto his head with his free hand. "You worthless idiot! Can't you even aim properly?" Still glaring at Weavile, he began to fiddle with the device he was holding. A fleeting look of horror crossed the dark-type's face, but it was soon replaced by one of pain as the Weavile doubled over, clutching his neck.

Spike stared at Weavile bemusedly while Lucario looked from the dark-type to the device in the man's hand. Upon closer inspection, there was a small reddish collar around Weavile's neck – the Aura Pokémon made the connection and growled as he began to make his way towards the man, intending to snatch the machine away.

"That's him, over there!"

Lucario stopped in his tracks and turned towards the sound. The woman from earlier had returned; a guard in white uniform was by her side. "That rogue refuses to stop the battle, and even threatened to have his Pokémon attack me!"

The guard ran up to the man, who dropped the device and looked as though he was deciding if he should make a run for it. Meanwhile, the Weavile collapsed to his knees and panted.

"Sir, I am going to have to ask you to stop the battle immediately and come with me," the guard said.

"What? Where are you taking me?" the man demanded, looking wary. "What have I done wrong?" He turned to the woman furiously. "I already explained it to you! I was trying to capture that wild Smeargle, and this Riolu went berserk and started to attack my Weavile! Even if I asked my Weavile to back down, the Riolu wouldn't relent, would he? I had to let my Pokémon defend himself, hadn't I? If anything, you should be taking that rabid Riolu away – and have him put down while you're at it! "

Spike let out an indignant cry, looking frightened for the first time since the battle started. Lucario was about to step out and protest when the souvenir shop's keeper walked up from behind him towards the guard, carrying Smeargle in her arms. "This man is lying. I saw with my own eyes the Smeargle getting hit by a Poké Ball _before _he ordered the Weavile to attack her. Since she wasn't sucked into the Ball, she must already belong to a trainer, and this man knows it!"

Lucario nodded fervently; some of the people in the crowd were murmuring among themselves once again. The Aura Pokémon glanced at Smeargle, who was radiating waves of uneasiness as she stared back at Lucario.

"So…" the guard said, rounding on to the man. "Despite knowing that this Smeargle here already belongs to someone, you attacked her anyway. What were you trying to do, I wonder?"

"I… er…" the man stuttered, at a complete loss for words. "There's a reason for that, you see…"

"Well then, I'm sure the police would love to hear it." The guard bent down and picked up the device from the ground. "Don't think I haven't seen what you've done to the Weavile either. Come then," he turned to the Weavile, "and you too."

The guard marched the man away while Weavile lagged behind, looking hesitant and troubled. The dark-type turned and stared at Spike for a moment before following the guard.

The crowd began to disperse, some of them chatting excitedly while others shook their heads in contempt of the man's conducts. The shopkeeper lowered the Painter Pokémon to the ground – Smeargle thanked her in Pokémon language, but she seemed to understand it all the same.

"You three take care of yourselves now!" she said to the trio and walked back to the shop.

Once she had disappeared into the building, Spike pumped his fist into the air and cheered, turning around and beaming at Lucario and Smeargle. "Yaaay! Nothing better to get your blood pumping than a good ol' battle! So, how was my performance?" he said, turning to Lucario eagerly. "Impressed? What about you, Smeargle – are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Smeargle dusted some dirt off her fur. "That was very brave of you, Spike… thank you so much."

The Riolu grinned awkwardly, though looking pleased. "No need to thank me. Besides, I've been itching for a fight anyway." His gaze fell upon the empty Poké Ball lying on the ground. "That jerk has some nerve, attacking you even after he knew –"

Spike slapped a paw to his mouth and stared at Smeargle before turning to Lucario. Visibly flustered, he continued, "Did you see what happened to his Weavile, though?"

"Yes, that was odd indeed," Lucario said, fully aware of what Spike was about to say before abruptly changing the subject. The Riolu's reaction had pretty much confirmed something he had suspected earlier, though he was unsure if he should pursue the matter. "Seems like he was quite the abusive trainer – let's hope the police deals with him soon."

"I hope the Weavile doesn't get implicated, anyhow," Smeargle said. "I think he was forced to attack me; he actually whispered an apology as he tackled me to the ground… Speaking of which…" She peered around the floor frantically. "All my stuff – I dropped them –"

"Don't worry, I'm on it!" Spike yelled reassuringly as he bounded off towards the sketchbook.

Smeargle rushed behind in his wake. The Riolu picked up the sketchbook and handed it over to the Painter Pokémon, who hurriedly examined it to check for damages. From where he was standing, Lucario noticed that her neck was bare – the golden locket was absent.

It did not take him long to spot the locket, glimmering on the ground near the spot where Weavile had tackled Smeargle the first time. Lucario bent down and picked it up – Spike was right; the locket was heavier than it looked. He ran his paw over the surface, brushing off some specks of dust which had stuck to it. In doing so, he felt something rough on the underside.

Flipping the locket around, Lucario saw that there was an engraving, albeit crudely done. "Le…ah," he read out softly, wondering what it could possible mean. He turned to the pair in the distance – Smeargle was feeling about her neck in a panic, apparently having just realised that her locket was missing.

Noticing the object in Lucario's paws, Spike gestured towards the Aura Pokémon – Smeargle wheeled around quickly, a look of relief slowly spreading over her face. She ran over to him.

"Here you go, Smeargle," he said, returning it back to her.

She put it on immediately, heaving a sigh as she hugged her sketchbook tightly to her chest. "Thanks, Lucario. I thought someone had stolen it."

"You're welcome." Lucario faltered for a moment. "Smeargle… does the name 'Leah' mean anything to you?"

"Le… Leah?" She cocked her head to one side, looking confounded. "Who's that?"

"It's the name on the back of your locket. Surely you must have seen it? I imagine you would have examined it carefully after waking up without your memories… After all, it could very well contain a clue about your past self."

She grabbed the locket and examined its back just as Spike reached the duo, looking upbeat. "Hmm, yeah, I did notice there's an engraving right here, though I couldn't read it – I think it's in English or something. 'Leah'… so that's what this word says?"

Lucario paused, feeling awkward. "But Smeargle… you _can _read…"

"Wait," Spike interrupted, frowning slightly. "What's going on?"

But at Lucario's words, Smeargle smacked her forehead with her paw, laughing. "Right, right, I forgot you already knew that! I'm such a horrible liar, ha… Well, I guess it's true. You got me."

The Aura Pokémon could feel himself blushing heavily now. "I'm very sorry, Smeargle – I… I've crossed the line. I shouldn't be so inquisitive – it's really unbecoming of me. Please forgive me; I promise I won't probe further."

"It's quite all right, Lucario. I really shouldn't be lying to you anyway." She took a deep breath. "Let it be known that I, Smeargle, am not a wild Pokémon, nor am I suffering from amnesia!"

Her proclamation was met with silence. Spike blinked, scratching his head. "Really?"

"Come off it," she said, shoving the Emanation Pokémon lightly. "You don't need to pretend anymore. It's okay."

"Er, right," he said sheepishly. "I'll let you do all the explaining then."

"So," Lucario interjected, "the whole amnesia thing isn't true then? You still have all your memories with you?"

"Yep," Smeargle said light-heartedly. She inhaled deeply once again and walked to a nearby bench, peering down at her sketchbook as she did so. She took a seat and patted the empty space next to her – Lucario and Spike took the hint and sat down as well. She did not speak right away, but leaned back and sighed as the gentle breeze blew past.

"Well…" She held up her sketchbook so that the front cover was facing Lucario. "I have all my memories right here. I guess you can say this sketchbook is like a diary – it tells the story of my life. Would you like to hear my story, Lucario?"

"I would love to, but only if you're sure you don't mind telling it to me."

"Okay then." She turned the cover over. On the very first page, Smeargle had drawn a detailed picture of a young man who looked in his early twenties. Unlike the sketches he had seen earlier, this picture was coloured, bright and vivid; Lucario could tell that she had spent a lot of effort on this particular piece.

Judging by how Spike was looking at the picture with interest, Lucario guessed that he had not seen the drawing either. Smeargle explained, "This… is my human.

"Yes, you might have already guessed that I'm not a wild Pokémon after seeing that Poké Ball fail to suck me in. Well, that's because I belong to this guy, see, and my Poké Ball is still with him. I'm immune to being captured by others until the Ball is destroyed, which apparently has not happened yet."

She stared at the picture wistfully. "We were… well, we were inseparable, I guess you could say. I was his first Pokémon, and there's always a special bond between a trainer and his first."

Smeargle flipped to the next page, revealing a picture of a house by the canal. Lucario was startled when he realised that he had already seen the same house earlier, though this picture was different. Like the previous one of the man, this drawing was fully-coloured, and Smeargle had taken care to include every little detail from the tiniest crack in the wall to the little leaves of the bushes around the house.

"This was our home. It's the only home I've ever known for so long, seeing as he had me from the day I hatched. We had fun, living in Canalave. We lived with his mother – his father had died long before I came to this world. We worked, we played, we lazed the days away."

She grabbed her locket and stared at it. "This was a gift from him. You asked me earlier if the name 'Leah' meant anything to me – well, that's my identity. It's who I am… or at least, who I used to be.

"His father used to be a trainer, travelling around Sinnoh and challenging the gyms," she said, and there was a slight tone of bitterness in her voice. "The man's ambition was to rise to the top of the league, but he died before he could do so. The dream, however, lives on in his son – my partner."

Smeargle turned to the next drawing, which was a sketch depicting a clearing in the forest with what seemed like wooden targets. Unlike all her other works, this was carelessly produced, with little angry lines running all over the place. She looked down at it with a frown. "I don't know… He just came up to me one day, out of the blue, and said that he would like to start training. He built this little place and had me practise my combating skills, but… I don't like it. It's not fun. I don't see the joy in fighting at all – I would rather run around and play and read and draw like in the past. I guess a part of me knew then, that those days were gone.

"It was like… like he became a new person entirely. It seemed like everything had changed so fast. My human always told me he would like to follow in his father's footsteps, but never had this fever taken control of him so heavily before.

"I can tell that he's a little annoyed. Annoyed that I don't share the same passion, annoyed that I don't think the way he does. But we started our journey anyway, and he kept me out of the Poké Ball, like he always did. I remember thinking once that perhaps, just perhaps, this wouldn't turn out so bad after all.

"You will find that I have few drawings of our travels, because there just wasn't time. As much as I would love to sketch out all the places we've been to, he rushes along, never stopping, so intent on the destination that he was willing to forego the joys of the journey." She gave a little laugh. "Oh, he was always raring to go; I actually found it hard to keep up with him sometimes.

"I do have some pictures though, if you would like to see them… here," she flipped to a sketch of the moon, hung high in the sky above the treetops, "a picture of the time we were in Eterna Forest. I slipped out of the tent while he was asleep and drew this. He never did figure out why I was so tired the day after," she added with a giggle.

"How about this?" She showed Spike and Lucario a picture of a huge domed building. "This is where contests are held in Hearthome City. Of course, we never took part in it. And here, the TV station at Jubilife – and this one is of the meadows at Floraroma."

She turned to the next page and stared at it for quite a long time. "Ah. I neglect to mention that he had caught a number of other Pokémon as well during our travels." Smeargle turned the book around to show Lucario and Spike the drawing: sketches of several Pokémon, which included a Luxray, a Drifblim, and a Rampardos, among others. Like the training ground earlier, these portraits were poorly drawn.

"I hope you didn't think that we remained a team of two the whole time. I already mentioned earlier that I don't like battling, so of course I'm not very good at it either. This Luxray – a Shinx back then – was the first to join our crew. We didn't catch it, no; instead, he was bought from another trainer.

"Over time, my human trained me less and less, devoting his time on little Shinx instead. I guess I should have been happy with less training time, but I dunno… At that point, I guess I started to realise that I'm not really needed."

She paused for a very long time, her waves of sadness growing stronger by the second. Spike reached out and patter her shoulder. "Smeargle… you know that's not true…"

"I agree," Lucario said. "Regardless of your battling skills, I'm sure he sees you as an irreplaceable partner."

"Hmm, really?" Smeargle said without conviction. She flipped to the next page – it was the picture of Canalave City that Lucario had seen earlier, the one filled with faceless people. "After obtaining a number of badges, we dropped by Canalave again. He had long since formed his primary combating team, and he had caught quite a lot of extra Pokémon as well. He dropped some of them off at our home before continuing the journey… and… well… he dropped me off too."

"He – he really did that?" Lucario said in surprise.

"Well, in a way. I suppose it was I who brought the idea up by showing hints of wanting to stay behind, but if he really wanted me to tag along, he would have tried to change my mind, wouldn't he? I guess he must have been relieved that I'm no longer there to bog him down."

"But…"

"You have to understand, Lucario, that I'm like dead weight to him. He didn't bring my Poké Ball along, since he had been so sure prior to the journey that he needn't have to recall me, ever. I know it seems like a foolish move, but his leaving behind my Poké Ball is like a promise that I'll always be by his side, see. And, like I said, it's hard for me to keep up with him sometimes – I have slowed him down often enough, and there was no point in bringing me along anymore, especially since I don't battle either.

"So I stayed behind. I admit I felt a little hurt, dejected, but I forced myself to be optimistic. I was finally free to do as I pleased again. It was just like the olden days, except I was all alone this time. His mother was kind to me still, but we seemed to have grown distant. I imagine she had developed a bit of a grudge towards Pokémon, seeing as our kind have, in a way, limited the time she could have spent with her husband and son.

"Now, please don't think so harshly of him. I know my ramblings seem to be painting a negative picture of him, but he's a great guy – no, really, he is!" she said as Spike gave a disbelieving grunt. "We just don't share the same vision anymore, that's all. He told me he would be back after conquering the league, but I know him. He wouldn't be satisfied just settling down idly like in the past. After Sinnoh, he'd probably head out to another region or something."

"But then… how did you end up here?" Lucario asked.

"Well, it's a little bit hard to explain." Smeargle showed him the next few sketches which he had already seen earlier, all of them depicting places in Canalave, including the other black-and-white picture of her old house. "There I was again in the place I loved, with all the time in the world, but it just wasn't the same without him around. In fact, I felt even worse than ever – all the happy memories we shared kept on haunting me, and I just wanted to get away from it all."

Lucario nodded, finally beginning to understand the reason for her actions. "So… that was why you pretended to have amnesia? To escape from your past life?"

"Correct," she said, turning to the next picture, which was of the ship's interior. "I decided that there was no point in me staying at Canalave with all the dead memories anymore. So, I walked around the port and chose to enter this ship, since it looked pretty impressive. It wasn't too hard to do – I suppose they don't pay too much attention if you're a Pokémon. I wanted to be brought far, far away."

The sketch after that depicted the sailor whom Lucario had just seen earlier. "Well, I got caught in the end, and you know what happened next. This guy spoke up for me, and basically gave me a new home. It really meant a lot to me. It's like I've been given a second chance – another opportunity to be happy again. It's working well for me so far. It was then that I decided to shed my old identity and start anew. I decided to 'have' amnesia."

Smeargle flipped to the next drawing. Spike shied away after he saw what it was of – he appeared to be embarrassed about having his own likeness staring back at him. Lucario stared at the black-and-white Riolu in the sketchbook before turning to Smeargle quizzically. "But Spike knew your secret."

"Oh, yes," she said, chuckling. "What can I say? We really clicked." She placed her arm around the Emanation Pokémon's shoulders. "I find myself telling him my life story, and, well, he's been a very supportive friend."

Smeargle closed the sketchbook and hugged it to her chest again. "I know… it's not a good thing, running away. I'm selfish – but I just couldn't take it anymore. And it's a bit stupid, really, I mean –" she held up her sketchbook and locket "– here I am, wanting to get rid of my past memories, and yet, I bring along these items with me. The sketchbook I _want _to keep, but this locket…"

She removed the locket from her neck and held it out to a startled Spike. "Here. Take it, please – I really don't want this anymore."

The Riolu took a quick step back, shaking his head. "What? No, I can't do that! Smeargle, the locket's yours – it's a gift from your old partner!"

"Like I said, Spike, it'll only bring about all those unwanted memories again. I suppose the sketchbook will as well, but I'll deal with that another time – it contains all my hard work…" She pushed it towards Spike, but he shook his head again persistently. Smeargle then turned to Lucario instead. "Here, you take it."

"But… I can't… Spike's right, Smeargle… it is a gift from your partner…"

"Lucario, I really need to get rid of this locket. Take it – you'll be doing me a favour, really."

Lucario turned to Spike, but the Riolu merely stared back at him helplessly. "Smeargle, I can't…"

She pointed out towards the ocean. "If neither of you will take this, then I'll toss it into the water."

"But… are you really sure, Smeargle? Are you really willing to throw away something which holds that much sentimental value?"

Smeargle stared down at her locket. After a moment, she whispered, "Yes. I'm willing."

Lucario studied her for a second, contemplating what he should do. At last, he nodded. "Very well then. I'll take it – but Smeargle, should there come a day when you want this locket back, I will be right here at Ferrous. Just come to the mountain closest to the city, all right?"

"Thanks," she said as Lucario took the locket from her, "but I'm sure that day will never come."

"You never know. After all, you've been together with your former human for ages… maybe things aren't the same anymore, but I'm sure he still cares a lot about you. Even if you don't intend to be with him anymore, I think he would really like it if you drop by sometimes to visit. I imagine he must be really upset with you gone."

She shook her head. "I doubt he even knows – he's probably in some far-off place right now. But… yeah, I think I will drop by someday…" Smeargle turned towards the huge sea vessel. "Perhaps when the ship stops by Canalave again… Heh. I wonder if he'll even be home then."

Someone gave a small cough from behind them, and the trio turned around at once. There, looking a little meek, was a Growlithe, surveying the three of them rather guardedly. "Pardon me… Sorry for interrupting, but I'm looking for a certain Riolu who was involved in a fight earlier." He said to Spike, "If I may ask, was it you?"

Spike did not answer; he seemed a little taken aback. Lucario intervened, "Why are you looking for that Riolu?"

"I'm part of the police team, see," the Growlithe said sheepishly. "Um… I just need to take down some statements… My owner has nabbed a man, and I need to confirm a few things."

The Riolu raised a paw, though looking a little wary. "I'm the one you're looking for."

Growlithe nodded. "I see. Well, can you please explain what happened?"

"I was in that shop," he said, pointing to the souvenir shop, "when I saw a Poké Ball hit Smeargle on the head. Since she already has a human partner, it bounced right off. Right after that, the Weavile attacked her. That idiot man already knew she wasn't a wild Pokémon!"

"Oh, well, what you've said tallies with the information we've gathered," the fire-type said happily, his tail wagging slightly. "I just wanted to check that. The man's already confessed more or less – though he still insisted that you are 'insane' and 'a danger to the public' and whatnot."

"I'm not crazy!" Spike yelled, his eyes flashing angrily. "It's him who's cuckoo!"

"Whoa – no need to get all riled up –"

"Sir," Smeargle spoke up, "I can attest to his statement. Spike only fought to help me. He wouldn't hurt anyone otherwise – he's a very well-mannered, peace-loving Riolu," she turned to the Emanation Pokémon, "aren't you, Spike?"

"Yeah, I am! So that hypocrite thinks I'm a danger – I'll show him danger! Let me at 'im, I'll pummel his face inside-out and rip out his throat and –"

"Please, calm down," the Growlithe said, looking bewildered and amused. "Like I said, he already confessed." He nodded towards Smeargle. "Even though he knew you aren't wild after the failed capture attempt, he attacked anyway, hoping to knock you unconscious and catch you."

Smeargle shook her head, looking puzzled. "But he wouldn't be able to capture me even if I'm unconscious. It wouldn't change the fact that I already have a master."

"Oh, sorry. 'Steal' would be a better term. Yeah, I guess you can say he's a Pokémon poacher – not a very bright one, but still…"

"Wait, wait, how does that work?" Lucario asked. "Did he seriously think he would be able to poach a Pokémon in broad daylight, with everyone watching?"

"Ah, he was hoping to go along with the excuse that he was just catching a wild Pokémon, you see. Even before tossing the Ball, he had a feeling Smeargle was already owned, because of the book she was carrying. He figured there was no harm in taking a chance anyway – and after the failed capture, he looked around and was quite sure that no one had seen the attempt. But someone from the shop did see; we already got her statement. Guess he never anticipated that. Plus, you threw a wrench in his plans," Growlithe said to Spike.

The fire-type continued, "He wasn't expecting someone else to interfere in the battle. When he saw that you were a Riolu, however, he decided to go after you instead."

Lucario recalled the man yelling for the Weavile to let Smeargle go and focus on Spike instead. The look of greed on the man's face when he saw the Aura Pokémon also resurfaced, and Lucario shook his head in disgust. "I see… Since Smeargle's sketchbook was knocked away, I guess bystanders might assume she is wild, after all… Guess they didn't see the locket – oh, but that got knocked away too, didn't it…"

Lucario folded his arms. "So he planned to steal Spike, then? But Spike's Muscle Band is clearly visible – there were so many people watching – surely they would assume that Spike already has a human?"

"It's a little different with Spike," Growlithe explained. "Since Spike attacked first, the man was justified in ordering his Weavile to strike back – that's what he told us," he quickly said to the Riolu as the blue-furred Pokémon opened his mouth furiously to protest. "By his logic, if he could knock you out, he would grab you and run, telling everyone else that he's sending you to the Pokémon Centre. But of course, once he's out of the area, he's home free."

"Yeah, right. Even if that Weavile did best me, there's no way Smeargle or Lucario would ever let that idiot take me away. Right?" Spike asked the two, who both nodded.

"Good for you, then." The Growlithe wagged his tail again, letting out a bark-like laugh. "All in all, I would say he's a rather careless criminal, deciding to act on the spur of the moment. If only they were all that easy. Did you know, that Weavile's been telling me that he's a stolen Pokémon himself. The man controls him through a shock collar and everything."

"Oh, yes," Smeargle said suddenly. "That would make sense. He whispered an apology after tackling me to the ground – I'm sure he was forced to help the man in his crimes. I can vouch for him."

"Great!" Growlithe said happily. "I was wondering how I should go about confirming his story. That settles it then. I don't think I have anything else to ask of you. You've all been a big help; thank you. Take care, and stay safe!"

"You too," said Lucario, giving a slight bow while Spike yelled out a cheery 'bye!' as he waved a paw.

As Growlithe padded out of sight, Spike stared from Smeargle to Lucario, a huge grin on his face. "Well, all that excitement has made me hungry. Surely it's been more than half an hour already – let's go get some ice-cream!"

**:::::::::::::::::::**

Though the man tending to the ice-cream store had returned from his break, he refused to entertain the trio, stating that they should come back when they had the money. To Spike's immense disappointment (and slight indignation), not even his 'irresistible cuteness' could persuade the man otherwise.

The Riolu was forced to give up, and grumbling to himself, left with Smeargle and Lucario as they continued to walk around the port. The Painter Pokémon had pointed out that it was almost time for the ship to leave, so they really couldn't venture further into the city.

Smeargle's reminder had silenced Spike completely, and he lagged behind the two, looking stressed. Lucario could tell that the Riolu was worrying over whether to stay behind at Ferrous or sail away with Smeargle. Not wanting to pressurise him further, Lucario decided to remain silent.

"It's been great meeting you," Smeargle said to Lucario after announcing that they only had a few minutes left before the ship departed. Indeed, the Aura Pokémon could see the sailors bustling about, preparing to leave the harbour. "We should meet up again, when the ship stops by Ferrous."

Lucario nodded. "Yes, we should. I'll drop by this place from time to time in order to check the schedule. Meanwhile, like I said, you can stop by my mountain anytime." He held up the locket. "And don't forget – I'm always ready to hand this back to you."

"Thanks. Maybe next time we can actually explore the city, yeah?"

"Smeargle," Spike said, finally breaking his long period of silence. "Can I… can I have a word with you, please? In private?"

Smeargle looked bewildered, but nodded. Spike gave an apologetic nod towards Lucario, who shook his head to show that he didn't mind. The Riolu dragged Smeargle a distance away and began to converse solemnly.

Lucario took his eyes away from the pair and stared at the locket in his paws.

_Smeargle, the Painter Pokémon, a very interesting individual whom I met at the harbour. She had a sketchbook with her, in which she had filled with beautiful drawings of Canalave City as well as the ship that she arrived in. I also met Spike, an enthusiastic Riolu – this is the first time I've ever met one of my own kind. He's shrouded in mystery though; I wonder if I'll ever get to the bottom of it someday._

The Aura Pokémon stole a glance at the duo; Smeargle had placed a paw on Spike's shoulders, and was speaking with a serious expression on her face. He noted that the Riolu seemed close to tears…

_Smeargle claimed to have amnesia, stating that she could not remember her past at all. She had supposedly woken up all alone, with nothing but her sketchbook and a locket. Ultimately, this turned out to be a lie – she hadn't lost her memory after all. _

_She was, in fact, a Pokémon belonging to an ambitious trainer at Canalave. They were close friends at first, but after some time, the trainer decided to pursue his dream and venture all over Sinnoh – a dream not shared by the Painter Pokémon. Sadly, that was when they began to drift apart._

Lucario rubbed his paw over the surface on the back of the locket, reading the name engraved into it once more.

_Things changed between them, and Smeargle decided to stay behind at their home in Canalave while he continued his travels. She regained her freedom, her carefree life, but she was no longer happy. All the pleasant memories they shared had turned sour and painful. That was when she decided to erase her old identity of 'Leah', running away to the harbour and boarding a ship towards a new life._

_It is fortunate that she has found someone else who cares for her, but I really find myself wondering if this is truly the best thing for her. It just seems like a big pity: two best friends drifting apart just because they no longer share the same vision. I am sure Smeargle's old human still loves her very much, and I believe she loves him even now as well. It truly, truly is a pity. Maybe someday they can be together again… But does that mean she would have to leave her new human partner, the sailor?_

_I guess this is something Smeargle will have to decide for herself. _

_The locket would be a symbol of nostalgia, representing her old self. It was a gift from her former partner, and the fact that she was willing to toss it into the sea was a sign of how painful these memories have become for her. She must believe that her past life is now unattainable, a dream best forgotten. I, however, look forward to the day when she comes back to claim this locket once more. Yes, I do believe she will._

Turning back to stare at Smeargle and Spike, he found that they were locked in a tight embrace. A tear or two trickled down the little blue-furred Pokémon's muzzle, falling and dampening her fur, but she did not seem to mind. When they let go at last, Lucario quickly looked away, pretending not to have seen them.

"Sorry about leaving you alone, Lucario," Spike said as the two walked back to the Aura Pokémon. His voice was surprisingly calm and steady.

Lucario shook his head hastily. "No, I assure you it's not a problem at all."

"Well, I've decided to stay on here at Ferrous, with you," Spike announced. "That is, if you don't mind, of course."

"Of course I don't mind," he replied, smiling. "You can stay for as long as you like. Are you really sure you don't want to continue journeying with Smeargle though?"

Spike turned to Smeargle, who gave a reassuring nod. "I would love to journey with Smeargle, but we have agreed that it is perhaps for the best that I remain here. I'll miss her, but I'm sure we'll get to meet again someday."

"I'll definitely pay you a visit whenever I can," Smeargle said.

"I will look forward to those days then."

"Yeah… Spike, I want you to take good care of yourself, okay? Don't get yourself into trouble now."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" he retorted, his tone of indignation betrayed by the huge grin on his face. "You're the one more likely to get into trouble – don't go leaving the tools all around the ship now, ya hear?"

"Ha, trust you to be teasing me about that. All right, all right, I won't." She turned towards the ship – the sailor from earlier had come again, looking for her. "Guess I gotta go. So, this is goodbye for now. Till we meet again!"

"Bye, Smeargle!"

Lucario bowed. "Take care, Smeargle."

"Goodbye, Spike, Lucario! I'll continue to draw more pictures of the places I go to, and I'll show them to you the next time we meet!"

Smeargle ran to the sailor and leapt into his arms. The man peered around at Spike, apparently curious as to why the Emanation Pokémon was not with her. When he spotted Spike, however, the Riolu waved with one paw and indicated Lucario with the other. The man seemed to understand, and waved as well.

Spike and Lucario stayed at the harbour until the ship left, bringing Smeargle along with it. The Riolu's gaze followed the vessel as it sailed further into the horizon; his cheerfulness had died away once again.

"Well then… shall we leave?" Lucario suggested.

Spike nodded. "All right. How are we getting back to your home? Are we walking?"

"We could, but I imagine it's quite a long way. I think it's better if we take the bus."

"Okay."

Together, they walked to the bus station. They had to wait for a few minutes before the next 'B10' bus would leave, but they were allowed to board it first. Lucario chose a seat in the middle, and Spike plopped down onto the chair with a sigh, staring up at the air-conditioner.

"You ride the bus often?" the Riolu asked, now peering out the window.

"Actually, no. I did take one this morning, but I slept and missed my stop. I'm glad I did though, or I never would have met you and Smeargle."

"Oh. Do you know where we should get off though?"

Lucario nodded, leaning back on his own seat. "I'll keep a watch out for our stop. I won't fall asleep again, don't worry."

"I'm not worried. I'll leave it to you, then."

The bus began its journey and Spike closed his eyes, his breathing becoming slow as the movement of the bus lured him into sleep. His head gradually lolled to the side, finally resting on Lucario's torso. The Aura Pokémon subconsciously stroked the area between Spike's ears as he stared out the window, determined not to miss his stop again.

Absol would undoubtedly be worried by now. As his thoughts turned to the Disaster Pokémon, he wondered what his white-furred friend would say about Spike. It occurred to him once again that the Riolu seemed to be hiding something from him – just like Eevee was, and just like Absol used to.

Perhaps it might not be his business to find out what Spike's secret was, but he would do his best to help the Riolu all the same. He heaved a deep sigh – sometimes, the world seemed so full of problems.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Next time, on I Am Lucario…

"_Maybe I'll even be able to finally fly._"

In case of scientific inconsistencies in this chapter, please remember that it's Smeargle talking, not me. (whistles innocently)

One more announcement:

I am working with **hawktakesflight** – a great friend and author – on a Pokémon murder-mystery by the name of 'Smile'. The fic has been uploaded in his profile, so please do check it out if you have the time! (A link to the story and his deviantART account is also available in my profile)


	14. Swan Song's Diminuendo

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon.

Last update was in September, 2010. It is now May, 2011. The story is now two years old, but we're only fourteen chapters in. I cannot apologise enough for the slow writing speed – it does seem as though I'm getting worse. I can't believe there was a time I thought I could get this chapter done in January.

However, a big thank you to everyone for the support you have shown for this story. Seriously, each review, favourite, alert, and read is deeply appreciated.

In response to **Anonymous1**; there is actually a twist with Spike which I think no one would expect – it will be revealed quite early on in this chapter. I'm hoping he will be a good addition to the story. I hope you have been well the past few months! And thank you very much for reading and reviewing!

In response to **megaxl**; unfortunately, it took me eight months to update this time, which I think is a new record (not one I'm proud of, however). I'm starting to wonder what year it will be when this story is finally complete. Thank you very much for reading and reviewing!

In response to **Waypoint**; thank you very much! Wow, I never thought of this story as a combination of those two before. The story will probably get a little darker soon, but I'll try and maintain that mix. Thanks again!

Well, this is a **triple-length chapter**, though it just feels odd somehow. Nonetheless, I hope it will be a good read.

**Dec 2011 Edit – **I've revised the description of aura; special thanks to **dbzespio**!

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"Come on, walk faster!" the Riolu said exuberantly as he rushed up the mountain path ahead of Lucario, turning backwards to face the Aura Pokémon with mild exasperation. "You're so slow! I imagine it must take a really long time for you to get up and down the mountain each day!"

"I would hurry, Spike, but my leg is injured, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," Spike said sheepishly as he stared at the bandage on Lucario's leg. "Well, do you want me to carry you?" he said eagerly, hopping slightly on the spot as he swung his arms around. "I bet it'd be good exercise for me!"

"Er… no, thank you. I'm fine. We're almost there, anyway."

"All right then. It's your loss."

The Riolu ran forward once more, leaving Lucario by himself. The Aura Pokémon smiled – if there was ever a time he was as enthusiastic as Spike, he did not remember it. The Emanation Pokémon was just brimming with youthful energy; it actually made Lucario feel old just watching him.

"Whoaaaa!"

Curious as to what the cause for the cry of wonder was, Lucario hastened his pace only to find Spike running laps around the wide area at the mountain summit.

"This is awesome!" The Riolu exclaimed, almost bumping into Lucario as he skidded to a halt just inches away from the Aura Pokémon. "This would make an excellent training ground – it's big, the air is refreshing, and the view –" Spike dashed to the edge and let out a jubilant yell before placing a paw onto his ear, as though expecting an echo.

"Be careful!" Lucario called out, about to make his way to Spike when the Riolu turned around and bounded towards him once more.

"Relax, I won't fall off! So, this is where you live?"

"Yeah. The cave is just nearby."

"Cave?" Spike said, looking around. "I don't see any cave…"

"Ah," Lucario said mysteriously with a grin. He turned towards the rock wall at the far end of the summit – the time had come once again to baffle yet another individual with the secret of the cave's entrance. Even as he thought that, however, it occurred to him that the entrance was sealed, despite him leaving it open before he went to the city.

It would seem that neither Absol nor Eevee were inside – he was unable to detect their presence. They were probably off searching for him somewhere.

Distracted by this fact, Lucario forgot what he was going to say. The Riolu cocked his head to the side slightly as he nudged Lucario's arm. "Yes?" Spike said curiously.

"Sorry. Come with me; I'll show you."

Lucario beckoned the Riolu to follow as he padded towards the rock wall at the end. "You see, the cave is –"

Before the Aura Pokémon could explain further, Spike let out a loud "Oh!" as he scampered forward once more, leaving Lucario behind as he felt about the wall. "I see!"

Bewildered, Lucario stopped in his tracks. "But… I haven't said anything yet…"

Spike ignored him, walking about with his paws inches from the rocky surface, his aura receptors rising slightly. Twice, he came close to where the entrance was concealed, and on the third time, he nodded to himself before taking a step backwards.

To Lucario's immense astonishment, Spike began to raise both his paws, which were emitting a faint, blue aura. The rocks slid smoothly apart, exposing the cave which they hid so well.

The Riolu turned around, looking extremely pleased with himself. "I never would have expected a Secret Base at the very top of this mountain! What a surprise!" After a few seconds in which Lucario could only stare open-mouthed, Spike folded his arms. "So, are you gonna invite me in?"

"But – but… how? You know Secret Power?"

"Yeah!" Spike said brightly. "I'm a Riolu of multiple talents, remember?"

"Well, this is such a coincidence." Lucario hobbled over to the Riolu, still finding it difficult to believe what he had just witnessed. In truth, he had pondered during the bus ride whether Spike would be the third and final Pokémon to receive the Secret Power TM that Xatu had left behind – assuming that Eevee would be the second. "You're full of surprises, aren't you? Next, you'll be telling me that you can converse in English."

When Spike did not reply, but merely shifted his feet in a somewhat sheepish manner, Lucario stared at him in wonder. "No way – you _can _speak English?"

"Actually, no," Spike said hurriedly. "But I'm trying to learn how. It took me quite a lot of effort learning how to read, so I might as well go all the way, right?" Excitement filled his eyes once more. "Hey, but I can speak a couple of words. Wanna listen?"

"Sure, go ahead."

Spike cleared his throat, placed his paws on his hips, and then said, "_Hi_."

Lucario chuckled. "I see… well, that's certainly something. That'll come in handy when greeting someone."

"And that's not all either. I can speak a single Japanese word. Shall I?"

"Yeah, okay, go for it."

The Riolu cleared his throat once more. "_Hai_."

Lucario paused. "That… sounds more or less the same as the previous word you said."

"It's not the same!" Spike said indignantly. "There's a subtle difference between the two. Anyway, it isn't easy, trying to speak in a human's language."

"Yeah, I know," Lucario said, nodding. "I'm having difficulties with articulation myself. Well, shall we enter, then?"

The duo headed deeper into the cave, Spike following by Lucario's side this time instead of running ahead. Upon catching sight of an opening in the wall, the Riolu walked towards it and peered outwards – Lucario recalled doing the same thing when he first entered the cave.

"This is truly one of the most spectacular Secret Bases I have ever seen," Spike said softly, perhaps to himself.

"And how many have you seen exactly?"

"Not many," Spike said, turning back to Lucario. "I don't think there are a lot of them in Sinnoh – aboveground, anyway." He shrugged. "Or maybe I just haven't discovered them yet. Anyway, they are usually very small and not ideal for inhabitation. I think trainers merely seek them out in order to use them as a – well – secret base. A mini clubhouse of sorts. Yours, however, is incredibly large and beautiful." The Riolu gazed out at the vista once more. "Certainly beats the average human's Secret Base, and then some."

"You have been in a human's Secret Base then?" Lucario asked in surprise.

"Well, no…" Spike said slowly. "But come on – how could anyone top this? I must say though, the only downside is that you'll have to hike all the way up and down the mountain every time you want to go somewhere. Then again, I guess it's only a small price to pay – especially for us Pokémon; we certainly have more stamina than humans."

"While we're on the topic of Secret Bases, I have a question: how did you learn Secret Power anyway? You would need a TM, and you're a wild Pokémon…"

"I don't see why it is so surprising. You're a wild Pokémon too – and you know the move as well, right?"

"My father gave the TM to me. In fact, I still have two more stored away."

"Oh." Spike paused for a second. "And where did your father get the TMs from?"

"I never asked."

"I got mine from a trash can," Spike said. "Apparently some human tossed it away, brand new and all. Maybe it's the same with your father."

"I highly doubt that, unless someone had an excess of Secret Power TMs and decided to just toss them all out. Anyway, it seems such a waste to discard a TM – even if the human had no need for it, he or she could have sold it to someone else."

Spike shrugged, walking back towards Lucario. "I dunno. Maybe they just couldn't be bothered. You'd be surprised at what you can find in the trash sometimes."

After a short walk, the path widened, and Spike gave a small gasp as he stared at all the items in the room. With his eyes still searching about the place, he asked Lucario in a tiny whisper, "Are you sure you're a wild Pokémon?"

"I assure you, I am," Lucario replied, grinning.

"But… wow. You have lots of stuff." Spike ran up to a bonsai plant and stared at it.

"That one isn't real – it's just a replica."

"I know, I can tell," the Riolu replied, feeling the plastic leaves on the miniature plant. "And what's this? A crate full of food?" Spike pulled out a pack of biscuits and shook it lightly. "These are all fresh?"

"Er…" Lucario scratched his head sheepishly. Some of the food in the crate had been around before Xatu had even passed away. "You might want to check the expiry date before eating them. Then again, we Pokémon probably have stronger stomachs than humans, so I guess it's still edible if it's just a little past the date."

Spike made a face. "That may be well and so, but some food spoil very quickly, and I don't fancy eating food covered in mould. It's disgusting."

"I understand. I'll sort through the stuff. Before that though, please feel free to help yourself to anything there if you're hungry." Lucario walked towards the water barrel. "And you can get a drink here if you're thirsty."

"Oh, cool! Water barrels!" His eyes then fell on the beds of hay. "What's that?"

"That's where I sleep every night. I only have two stacks, but –"

"No, I meant _that_," Spike said, pointing.

It took Lucario a moment to realise that Spike was referring to his aura-imbued box, which Eevee had placed neatly on top of Lucario's hay-bed. Lucario strode over and picked it up. "This… this is my personal treasure. It's a special box from my father – only I can open it."

Spike's eyes widened. "What do you mean, 'only you'? Can I see?"

"Okay, but please be careful."

Lucario handed the box over, and Spike studied it for a moment before tugging at the lid. As the Aura Pokémon had expected, it did not budge. Refusing to give up, Spike peered closely all around the box, apparently searching for a latch. "I don't believe it. There isn't a lock or anything… I don't see any dial either…"

"It's locked with my aura," Lucario explained. Spike took his eyes off the box and peered at the Aura Pokémon quizzically. "I'm not sure how exactly it works, but I poured some of my aura into the box when my father gave it to me. It only responds to me now – here."

Lucario took the box from Spike and nudged the lid gently. Faithfully, the box opened its jaws and allowed its master access to its inside. "See? I store all my other treasures within. This box is the ultimate security system… unless someone steals the box itself, but I hope that would never ever happen."

"I've never seen something like this before," Spike said in wonder. "Now I kinda want one."

"Well," Lucario began as he removed his scarf and placed it inside the box, "if I ever come across another one, I'll give it to you."

Spike flashed a smile. "Thanks." He turned to the beds once more. "So… there are two beds here… Is it all right if I take the spare one then?"

"Um… actually, there is no spare – the other one's used by Absol."

"Ab— oh! Right, right, I'm sorry," the Emanation Pokémon said sheepishly. "I totally forgot that you're already sharing the cave with someone else. It's all right; I can sleep on the floor, no problem."

Lucario shook his head. "Actually, I was going to suggest that you take my bed instead. I don't mind sleeping on the ground."

"No way; you're already doing me a big favour by letting me stay here. I can't take your bed too."

"But I –"

"I insist," Spike said firmly. When Lucario began to protest again, the Riolu interrupted, "Look – how about this instead? We share the same hay." He scooped up a small handful from Lucario's stack and placed it on the ground. "See, this is all I need. Now you have three beds."

Lucario stared at the tiny pile of hay doubtfully. "That's hardly enough to keep comfortable."

"It is. Just watch." With his paws, Spike fluffed up the hay. He then lay down and curled himself tightly into a small ball. "Ta-dah!"

Lucario laughed. "All right, if you're sure then."

Spike unfolded himself and stood upright again. "So… where's Absol?"

"I'm not sure, actually. He's probably out looking for me. I was supposed to have only gone for a quick trip done to the Pokémon Centre, after all – I didn't expect a detour to the harbour."

"Oh… Do you want me to go look for him?"

"Thanks, but it's all right. Besides, if he came back after you left, how am I going to notify you?"

"True," Spike said thoughtfully, placing a paw on his chin. "If only there was a way to communicate with one another. Perhaps like a mobile phone, or –"

"A mobile phone?"

"Yeah. But it's gotta be troublesome, having to bring a gadget with you everywhere you go – unless you can attach it to yourself. Maybe you can stick it on your scarf, heh." As he said that, Spike began to fiddle absently with his Muscle Band.

"Why don't you take your band off? You can place it on the crate; or wherever you want, really."

Spike seemed a little hesitant as he looked down at the yellow band. "Take my band… off?"

"Yeah, we're home now. There's no need to wear it here." Seeing the doubt etched on Spike's face, he added, "Don't worry. It'll be safe here. No one is going to steal it."

"Okay."

The Riolu stretched both of his paws to the back of his neck, where the knot had been tied. He tugged and struggled, but it did not loosen. After another minute of futile attempts, Spike turned to Lucario shamefacedly. "I… think I need a little help."

"All right." Lucario walked over and examined the band's knot. It wasn't exactly a tight one, and he was surprised that Spike was having so much trouble with it. The Aura Pokémon managed to loosen it in a few seconds. He handed the band over to Spike, who took it gratefully. "If you don't mind me asking, Spike, do you usually have trouble with removing your Muscle Band?"

The Emanation Pokémon looked down at his feet and gave a small chuckle. "Guilty. I don't know how to wear it as well. Someone else always helps me."

Lucario pondered this for a moment. "But you're a wild Pokémon. I doubt it would be easy to find others who could help you wear and remove the band. Unless you seek help from humans…?"

"No, not humans." Spike laughed. "I never said I removed the Muscle Band often."

The statement caught Lucario by surprise. How long had Spike been keeping that thing on? Another piece of conversation was slowly coming back to him – the Riolu had said that his parents passed away only recently… In his mind's eye, the Aura Pokémon could see another Lucario – one of Spike's parents – helping out with the knot the very last time Spike put the accessory on.

"Spike…" Lucario began, startling himself when his voice quivered a little. "Do you want me to teach you how to wear – and remove – your band?"

Spike glanced up at Lucario, apparently surprised at the offer. A smile broke over his face, and he nodded. He looked somewhat wistful, the boyishness suddenly vanishing from his expression. "Thank you."

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Fourteen: Swan Song's Diminuendo**

"_Stars of the bright sky / Assembled now in my hand / It is night once more."_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Having finished writing down the entry about Smeargle, Lucario placed his journal inside the aura-box and sighed as he stared out through one of the openings in the wall. Where had Absol gone to? He hoped his white-furred friend did not do something foolish – seek out Machoke's gang, for instance.

Wondering if he should head out to find his friend, Lucario scooped up more hay from his own pile and added them to Spike's makeshift bed. Despite the Riolu's claims, Lucario did not believe a small pile of hay would make for a comfortable sleep. Though he was certain that Spike would protest, the Riolu was currently outside of the cave, enjoying the scenery from the summit.

As Lucario pondered if he should take some hay from Absol's stack as well, he picked up a faint presence – it was none other than the Disaster Pokémon, on his way back to the cave with Eevee by his side. Relief flooded over him; both Absol and Eevee seemed quite stressed, though perfectly fine otherwise.

Walking as fast as he could, Lucario reached the cave's entrance just in time to see Absol arriving at the summit. At the sight of Spike, who was standing close to the edge, the dark-type dashed forward, followed by a very confused Eevee.

"Lucario!" Absol yelled as he accidentally collided with the Riolu, though thankfully not knocking him off the mountain. "What happened to you? You… you've _de-volved_!"

"Absol!" Lucario called out, walking over.

All heads turned to the Aura Pokémon, and the same relief that Lucario had felt earlier were replicated in Absol. "Lucario," he said weakly, padding over to the fighting-type. "Where on earth have you run off to? We've been searching everywhere!" he added, indicating Eevee.

"I went to the Pokémon Centre to get my bandage changed."

"Yes, ages ago!" Absol replied exasperatedly. "We went to check, and the Chansey there said you had already left for a few hours!"

"Yes, and I was about to head back after that – honest!" Lucario added quickly when Absol gave a disbelieving snort so alike one the Eevee of old would make. "I took the bus, figuring it would make the journey quicker and easier. Unfortunately, I fell asleep, missed my stop, and had to take another bus back."

Absol rolled his eyes. "Oh, another bus back, sure. Where did you wind up – Kanto?"

"No – I wound up near a harbour. I'm sorry – I explored the place, and got a little distracted."

"Lucario…" Absol shook his head heavily. "You're impossible. Exploration can wait for until your leg gets better… I thought…" He trailed off and shook his head again.

"Hm?" Lucario stared at Absol intently. "What did you think?"

"Nothing."

"He was afraid you wouldn't be able to handle the loss of your scarf," Eevee spoke up from behind Absol. "He thought you went and killed yourself."

Lucario turned back to Absol, amused. "Really, Absol? Come on…" He ruffled the fur on Absol's head, eliciting an annoyed grunt. "I won't do something like that. I have to live – I have to help the city, remember?"

Absol was defiant. "So you're saying you would commit suicide if not for that."

Lucario laughed – he could not help it. He had to admit that Absol's overwhelming concern for him was touching, but it was quite comical, the way Absol was being adamant. "Absol, I promise I will never kill myself. Is that good enough for you?"

With a sigh, the Disaster Pokémon reluctantly nodded.

"Great. Now, I've got someone to introduce to you – Spike, come here."

The Riolu jolted at being addressed suddenly. Lucario was astonished to see him sporting a terrified expression as he glanced at Absol before walking over to the Aura Pokémon with tremendous apprehension. Meanwhile, both Absol and Eevee seemed a little surprised to see the little fighting-type. Apparently, they had forgotten all about Spike being there when they finally found Lucario again.

"Absol and Eevee, this is Spike. I met him at the harbour."

"Hello," Spike said meekly, not really meeting their eyes. "It – it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, hello," Absol said, while Eevee muttered a brief 'hi'. "Er… sorry about earlier."

"It's quite all right."

They then lapsed into an awkward silence, none of them seemingly wanting to revive the conversation. Lucario decided to step in. "Spike came from Canalave City by ship, and he'll be staying in the cave for a while."

Both Absol and Eevee seemed surprised at this news, though neither of them said anything. It was Spike who broke the silence. "I hope I won't be a bother. I will only be staying temporarily; I will head back to Canalave after…"

Spike paused, and Lucario stared at him. Come to think of it, he still did not know the reason why the Riolu was so hesitant to return to his hometown. After a few seconds, Spike continued, "I'll head back to Canalave after a short while."

"I see. I really don't mind – you can stay as long as you like. Oh, but of course," Absol cast a side glance at the Aura Pokémon, "the cave is Lucario's after all, so he has the final say."

"Of course I don't mind either," Lucario said quickly. "Please make yourself at home, Spike."

The Riolu beamed. "Thank you."

"Right then… let's go in, shall we?" Lucario turned to the Evolution Pokémon. "Eevee, why don't you join us? I think now is about the right time for dinner."

She shook her head. "No thanks. I think I should get back home."

"Oh… Well… Absol, why don't you bring Spike in first? I'd like to have a quick word with Eevee."

The white-furred Pokémon stared from Lucario to Eevee for a moment before nodding. "Bye. Thanks for helping me," he mumbled to Eevee.

Eevee appeared to be surprised at the display of gratitude. "It's not a problem."

After Absol and Spike disappeared into the cave – the Riolu seemingly nervous to be with the dark-type – Lucario turned to Eevee, who was gazing at him expectantly. "Yes?" she asked. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to apologise. You had to spend the whole day searching for me."

"It's not a problem at all, Lucario." She would not meet his eyes; instead, she began to take great interest in examining the ground. Lucario was unable to detect any emotion from her at all.

Eevee began to trace an invisible pattern in the dirt with a paw, her tail giving an occasional flick. "Like I said yesterday, I don't have anything better to do anyway."

"But it must have been tiring. And really… you came early in the morning only to be roped into all this. I owe your parents an apology as well. They must be worried."

"They won't mind." Eevee was now sweeping grains of sand to one side, accumulating a small pile. "I've said it before, they'd prefer it if I wander about more. They're Leafeon. They want me to get fresh air. Besides, I told them I was going to visit you."

"Oh."

Seconds passed, and Lucario watched absentmindedly as she continued to build onto the pile of sand. At last, Eevee brushed it all off with one swipe of her paw, causing Lucario to startle. She looked up at him. "That Riolu… You mentioned that he came from Canalave by ship. So, why is he staying here with you then? Didn't he come with a human?"

"No, he's wild. There seems to be something he isn't telling me – he really wants to return home, and yet is hesitant to do so."

"That's strange."

"It is," Lucario agreed. "But he's a good kid."

"Seems really shy though."

"I assure you, he was anything but shy when I met him. I guess he found you and Absol intimidating."

The cold evening wind blew past them, ruffling the mane of fur around Eevee's neck as she pondered over Lucario's last statement. She gazed past the Aura Pokémon and into the cave. "Absol was really worried, you know. He was practically panicking earlier."

"I can guess." Lucario scratched his head guiltily. "He does worry too much. I'll need to make it up to him somehow. I hope he didn't give you a hard time for letting me leave the mountain alone?"

"Not at all. I think he was too worried about you to berate me, truth be told." She sighed wistfully, brushing off the dirt in her paws. "You two are really close, aren't you? Just like siblings… I'm jealous."

"Eevee…"

"I guess what I'm trying to say is… You're lucky to have someone who worries about you, and you should appreciate him."

"I know. I really do appreciate Absol. He has added a lot of colour to my life." He paused for a while, and then grinned. "What about you, Eevee? Were you worried about me?"

"No," she said with a straight face. "I knew you were easily distracted."

Lucario laughed. He had not expected her to remember what he had said just before he left for the Pokémon Centre. "True. Nonetheless, I do appreciate you too, Eevee."

The wind blew about again. Both of them had run out of things to say. "Well then… I'll come again tomorrow," Eevee said.

"You don't have to if it's any trouble, you know."

She studied his expression for a moment, her tail pointing stiffly straight up. "Am I… not welcome here?"

"No, that's not what I meant! It's just – I – the mountain – I mean…"

"I know, you don't have to explain." A smile was forming on her face. "Then again, now that you have Spike… I guess he can take over my role as your second babysitter."

"That – hey!" Lucario cried out indignantly, but he soon began to laugh again. It felt good to hear a jibe from Eevee once more. And yet, something was different this time – it was more of a friendly tease between friends.

As Eevee stood there chuckling at her own joke, Lucario couldn't help but feel glad. It really seemed to him as though the barrier between them was beginning to dissolve, and that he had taken a huge step towards knowing the true Eevee.

"So…" Eevee said awkwardly. "I'll come again tomorrow."

Lucario nodded. "I'll be waiting."

**:::::::::::::::::::**

"Your leg's healing up well," the nurse said, giving Lucario a gentle pat on the head. "Pretty soon you won't be needing the bandage anymore." She stood up. "That's it for today – you can go home now. Be sure to come back tomorrow!"

He nodded and watched as she made her way towards the door. The nurse placed a hand on the knob and then turned around, apparently remembering something. "Do you still have those headaches you told me about?"

Lucario shook his head. The pains seemed to have left, which he thought was strange considering the intensity of the psychic attack he had received from Medicham two days ago. Not that he was complaining though.

She smiled. "That's good. Remember not to overexert yourself then."

Lucario waved goodbye as she left the treatment room, and he soon followed suit, making his way back to the main lobby where everyone was waiting for him.

Absol was pacing around, occasionally throwing glares at a man nearby who was eyeing him with dislike. The Disaster Pokémon had slept later than Lucario the night before, and yet had woken first. Lucario had tried assuring the dark-type that he would not sneak out anymore, but he wasn't so sure that Absol was convinced.

Spike had chosen a comfortable chair by a potted plant to sit on as he read a brochure he had picked up from somewhere. Lucario had a feeling that the Riolu was only occupying himself with the brochure so that he need not engage in a conversation with the others. Though Lucario had pegged him as the sociable type, Spike seemed oddly silent with both Absol and Eevee.

Unbeknownst to the Emanation Pokémon, Eevee was eyeing Spike out of the corner of her eyes as she lay close to the potted plant. Lucario quite thought that she was appraising Spike the same way she did to the Aura Pokémon when they first met. He hoped that the Riolu fell into her good books – Spike wasn't one to back away from a quarrel, and Lucario figured it could get ugly if they ever get into a clash.

"Lucario!" Absol exclaimed, spotting the Aura Pokémon and rushing up to him. "How was it?"

"Absol, I only came to get my bandage changed," he replied, trying to hold back his laughter. "It's not like they were performing surgery on me or anything. Seriously, if you're so worried, perhaps next time you should follow me into the treatment room."

The Disaster Pokémon paused. "That's a great idea! You should have suggested it earlier. I'll do that next time."

"Fine, suit yourself. Well then," he said, addressing Spike and Eevee as well, "the day's still young. Is there anything you would like to do in Ferrous? It's your first time here, after all – we could give you a tour."

Spike placed the brochure back and hopped off the chair. "I was wondering if there's a gym in this city?"

"A gym?" Lucario was slightly surprised that Spike would suggest that, of all places. Perhaps the Riolu's love for combat was deeper than Lucario initially thought. "If you're talking about the one where trainers go to obtain a badge, then no. Ordinary gyms, however, probably exist somewhere in the city. I've never been to one though."

"I was referring to the former, but since there isn't one, never mind then. I'll let you decide where to go – I'm happy just seeing the sights, really."

"Well, if you want to, we could go to the park," Lucario suggested. "There's even a beach near it, within walking distance. If there's time, we could drop by as well."

"Ahem." Absol raised a paw at Lucario's bandaged leg. "Are you sure you should be walking so much with your leg in that condition?"

"It's fine. I walked a ton yesterday, and if anything, my leg feels better. In fact, I'm not even sure if the bandage is still necessary. The nurse did say I can have it removed for good soon though."

Spike spoke up before Absol could argue back. "I honestly wouldn't mind if we don't go anywhere, Lucario. Please don't push yourself for my sake. Walking around the forest is great too; I spend too much time in Canalave anyway, and most cities are more or less the same."

"I'm not pushing myself," Lucario assured. "I need fresh air after all – it is as Eevee said, it isn't healthy to stay cooped up in the cave for too long."

Eevee's tail twitched at the sudden mention of her name. "Wait a minute!" she protested, sounding a little panicked as she cast a quick glance at Absol. "I didn't – that wasn't what I –"

"Lucario," Absol interjected. "The air in the mountain _is _fresher than in the city."

The Aura Pokémon raised both his paws. "Firstly, relax, Eevee – I know that wasn't what you meant." He turned to Absol. "I'm just saying that I need a change of landscape, that's all."

The Disaster Pokémon sighed, despite the amused expression he was wearing. "Fine, I admit defeat. A more stubborn Pokémon I have never met. We'll walk around just a little – I suppose it won't be so bad if I'm there to look after you."

"And you won't be the only one either." Lucario gestured to the Riolu and the Evolution Pokémon. "With Eevee and Spike to keep an eye out for me as well… Why, I feel like I'm a Very Important Pokémon." He nodded towards the door, beaming. "Let's go!"

With the others in tow, Lucario made to exit the Centre when the doors slid open. A familiar-looking man walked in, a sickly Staravia in his arms. The Starling Pokémon was emanating an incredibly dismal aura. The man walked past them without even throwing the group a glance and went straight to the counter. Lucario stopped in his tracks, trying to recall where he had seen the man before.

"Lucario, what's wrong?" Absol asked, following Lucario's gaze.

"He looks familiar… do you recognise him, Absol?"

They continued to watch as the man began to speak quickly to the nurse in charge before handing the Staravia over. The nurse took the Staravia in her arms and carried the avian into one of the rooms further down the hall. The man stared after them for a moment before walking towards the chairs at the side.

He sank down on the chair which Spike had sat on earlier and wiped some sweat off his forehead, looking a little flustered.

"I've seen him before," Absol said, concentrating hard. "Let's see… where was it again?"

"Don't you two recognise him?" Eevee asked, pushing her way between Absol and Lucario.

The Aura Pokémon stared at her, bewildered. "You know who he is, Eevee?"

"Sure I do. He's the guard from that school you took me to the other day. You know, during our bet."

Lucario turned back to the man, realisation washing over him at Eevee's words. "You're right! I can't believe I've forgotten…" A few seconds later, however, it dawned on him that the guard was not in his usual uniform. Instead, the man was donning a plain blue shirt and ironed long pants. He did not have his cap on either – his short, black hair had been combed neatly. Perhaps the change of attire was what threw Lucario off.

The man turned his head in Lucario's direction, and his expression stiffened. He had no trouble in recognising the blue-furred Pokémon, apparently. "Oh no – it's you again!"

Lucario walked closer to him and waved.

"And I see your number has again increased by one," he said, looking at Spike. "Seriously, I hope you aren't building an army of Pokémon to invade the school. Then again, I haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been? What mischief have you been up to?"

Lucario shrugged, grunting in reply.

"I guess I haven't seen you around either," the guard said to Absol, reaching out to pat the dark-type on the head. Lucario gave an indignant cry at this unfair treatment, and the guard scratched the Aura Pokémon lightly between the ears. "Guess you just got bored of the school? I'm telling you – it isn't a place for Pokémon."

The man peered over Lucario's shoulders as the nurse called out to him. She had a rather stern expression on her face, and he stood up a little nervously. "Goodbye, then," he mumbled to the group before hurrying over, disappearing into the room with the nurse.

Absol chuckled. "I'm actually surprised that he remembers us."

"I'm more surprised that I didn't remember him." Lucario glanced at Eevee in amazement. "And who would have thought that it was you who would recognise him…"

"What are you insinuating?" Eevee said, eyeing Lucario suspiciously. "Hey, it's not my fault that my memory's better than yours! Couldn't you identify him through his aura or something though?"

"I don't go around reading people's aura all the time – and I certainly don't memorise all of them, either."

"Shall we go then?" Absol asked.

"Well…" Lucario hesitated. He had to admit that he was a little curious about the Staravia he had seen the guard bring in. He could still detect the morose waves that were emanating from the Starling Pokémon. "Do you mind if we wait a little? I kind of want to see what's wrong with his Pokémon."

"Oh, I see where this is going," Absol said, eyeing Lucario with slight exasperation. "You're thinking of human-watching again, aren't you?"

"No, I'm just curious. For all I know, his Staravia could just be suffering from the common cold. What I am concerned about, however, is the feelings that she is sending out… But if there's a story to be found, then why not? After all, if the opportunity presents itself, why decline?" Lucario folded his arms and said wisely, "As the saying goes, I have to hit them with a hot iron."

Lucario could tell that Absol did not understand a single thing he was saying, but he was spared the task of elaborating when Spike spoke up. "What's 'human-watching'?"

It was Eevee who answered. "It's just Lucario's weird hobby." She was unable to keep out a note of scorn from her voice. "Basically, he just stalks someone and pokes his nose into their life."

"Oh…" Spike said bewilderedly. "Stalking humans? That doesn't sound very fun."

"It isn't," Eevee said firmly.

"Ah, but Spike, don't you think humans are fascinating? As wild Pokémon, our lifestyles are very different from them, and it is only natural for us to feel curious about what it's like away from our natural habitat." The Aura Pokémon indicated Absol and Eevee. "These two have lived with humans before, so perhaps they aren't so keen on the activity. But surely you, Spike, share the interest?"

The Riolu shook his head, still looking bemused. "Can't say I do, no."

Eevee stifled a giggle, while Absol openly grinned. Lucario sighed. "I thought you might have, seeing as you seem to know a lot about humans and their technology. I actually wondered if your knowledge was the result of human-watching sessions back at Canalave. Guess I was wrong."

"I usually head out to the city, sure," Spike said slowly, "but I never really cared much about the humans. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, it isn't always humans that I watch – some Pokémon have interesting stories to tell as well."

A short moment later, the guard returned to the hallway with the Staravia. He strode over and placed her on the chair which he sat on earlier before walking off to the counter to talk with the nurse. He didn't seem to register the fact that the group was still there.

Lucario studied the Staravia. Her eyes were forlorn, and she remained stiff and unmoving. The intense waves of sadness were still radiating from her being, and he could tell that Spike – based on his uncomfortable expression – was aware of this as well. He was instantly reminded of the time he first met Eevee at Greg's house.

A little uncertain, he walked up to her. "Hello."

The Staravia did not stir; instead, she remained motionless as she stared unseeingly ahead. It was as though she had not heard him at all.

Lucario tried again. "Um… hi?"

Slowly, the bird turned her head towards Lucario, a tear trickling down to her beak. Startled, the blue-furred Pokémon could only gape, until Eevee began to push him away. "Lucario, stop it – you're scaring her!"

"Scaring her?" Lucario hissed incredulously to Eevee. "I was only trying to make a friendly greeting!" He quickly turned back to the flying-type. "Staravia, I'm so sorry if I've offended you – I promise I wasn't trying to insult you or anything – I only greeted you because I know your human partner –"

At his last statement, Staravia spoke up, her voice extremely soft and weak. "You know my human partner?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I've seen your partner in school a couple of times."

"Oh." Staravia stared blankly at the floor. More tears were leaking out from her eyes, and her voice became slurred. "It's… it's a pity my partner won't be going to school any— anymore…"

She broke into sobs, and Lucario stared at her in surprise. He peered at the guard, who was still talking to the nurse with a grave expression. Had he lost his job? Was that why his Pokémon was so depressed? "If I may be so bold to ask… why is that?"

Staravia shook her head. "My partner… my partner is dying," she choked out. "I'm not sure how much time is left before… before…"

She was unable to complete her sentence. Both Lucario and Absol instantly turned to stare at the man in alarm. Never would he have thought that the guard's time in this world was coming to an end… "I… I'm so sorry… I never knew… But how? When did this happen?"

"We have already known for ages," she said. "But it was only recently that her condition got worse… Now she's weaving in and out of consciousness, and I just… I just don't know anymore…"

Absol and Lucario exchanged confused glances. It would seem that they had been mistaken – apparently, the guard was not Staravia's partner after all. "Um… Staravia… may I ask the name of your partner?"

Staravia considered Lucario for a moment. "It's Emily."

"Emily… Emily…" Lucario repeated the name a few times to himself. It was familiar, and he knew he had heard it before, but he was unable to recall further. He turned to Absol, who shrugged. He then looked at Eevee. Perhaps she would surprise him again. "Well, Eevee? Does the name ring a bell?"

The Evolution Pokémon shook her head. "Not really, no."

"I know I've definitely heard her name before…" Lucario said aloud to himself, pressing a paw to his forehead as he tried his hardest to remember.

"I thought you said you've seen her in school before," Staravia said, eyeing him with suspicion.

The sadness she had been emanating was now mingled with a tiny bit of distrust, and Lucario hastened to explain himself. "I'm so sorry, Staravia, but I made an honest mistake. I thought that man was your partner – it was him whom I've met in school several times. However, the name 'Emily' does sound familiar, and I think I may have met her – or at least, heard of her – before."

The misgivings he had detected from Staravia dissipated, and he sighed inwardly in relief. "Well, it's quite a common name…" she said. "It's probably a different Emily that you've heard about."

"Yeah…" Lucario gazed downwards, his ears pressed flat against the back of his head. He was beginning to wish he hadn't entered the conversation at all. "I'm so sorry, Staravia. If… if it's okay… I would like to pay a visit to your human partner…"

The avian gave the tiniest of nods. "All right… but I'm not even sure if she'll be awake…" She raised a wing to indicate the guard, who was now walking back towards to her. "He'll be taking me to her."

"Thank you. I'll just follow behind you two."

The man looked around at the group in surprise. "You all still here? Well, I'm leaving now, so goodbye." He scooped up the Staravia in his arms gently. "I'll take you back to Emily now," he whispered kindly. "Remember what the nurse has said, okay? I know you're going through rough times, but you still got to take care of yourself…"

He walked out of the Centre, and Lucario looked around at his friends. "Do you mind if I pay Emily a short visit? If you want, you three can stop by somewhere and eat – I'll pass the money to Absol or something."

"I'm not letting you out of my sight," Absol said firmly.

"It's okay, I'll follow too," Spike said, and Eevee hesitated before nodding. She appeared to be troubled by something.

"Oh, all right. We'll all go then – perhaps we can have our lunch afterwards."

Together, they headed out of the automatic sliding doors. The guard hadn't walked too far – the Aura Pokémon dashed ahead and caught up with him, with the others close behind. The man turned and stared at Lucario. "What are you following me for? I'm not going to the school – and even if I did, I'm certainly not letting you in! It's not even open today!"

Lucario shook his head, and gestured at Staravia. The man caught on surprisingly quick. "Oh, you want to visit Emily?"

The Aura Pokémon nodded, and the guard sighed. "Fine then. I didn't even know you and Emily were acquaintances. Just make sure you behave yourself. I don't want to be held accountable should you cause trouble for Emily or her family."

Lucario nodded once more, and they continued their journey. Minutes from then, however, Eevee pawed at his leg, and he looked down in astonishment. "Is anything the matter?"

"Can you… can you carry me for a moment?"

His eyes widened at the unusual request. "I'm sorry?"

"Carry me close to your ear for a second!" she hissed, looking a little annoyed. "I want to tell you something!"

"Oh," he mumbled sheepishly. He bent down and picked the brown-furred Pokémon up, perching her on his shoulder. "What is it?"

Eevee did not answer right away. Ahead of them, the Riolu was eyeing them curiously – she stared back pointedly. Getting the hint, Spike shrugged and turned to the front. Satisfied, she leaned close to Lucario's ear and whispered, "Don't take this the wrong way, Lucario, but don't you think you're… kind of… overstepping your boundaries here?"

"What?" Lucario asked aloud, utterly confused. "What do you mean?"

"Shh!" she hissed urgently. Absol and Spike had both turned to stare at the two, and she waited for them to look away again before continuing. "Look, Lucario… I know you like to human-watch, but sometimes… there's just a line you shouldn't cross. You're going to visit a dying girl just so you can get a moment's entertainment? That's just low!"

"Eevee!" he whispered loudly, staring at her incredulously. The indignation welling up within him had rendered the Aura Pokémon momentarily speechless. Her words stung, and he couldn't believe she would even suggest that. He sent a telepathic message to her, "_How can you say that?_"

She nearly fell off his shoulders at the sudden voice ringing in her head, but she glared back at him defiantly. "Isn't that what you're doing now?"

"_Of course not! I'm genuinely concerned! You wouldn't understand – you didn't feel the emotion coming out from Staravia earlier at the Centre – she's really depressed, Eevee! Kind of like how you were back at Greg's house! I'm not doing this just so that I can human-watch!_

"_Plus, human-watching isn't just an activity I do for fun, Eevee! There are times when things get serious, and I do my best to help! It's the same here – if there's anything I can do to help Emily, Staravia, or her family, I'll be more than willing to!_"

Eevee considered him for a moment. He noticed her ears drooping slightly as she tore her eyes from him, and he immediately regretted his outburst. "Sorry," she muttered softly before leaping off his shoulder, walking close by Absol.

Lucario stared at Eevee as he walked, but she never turned back. He wondered for a moment if he had gone overboard. Aside from the obvious anger in his telepathic message, the sudden mention of how she had felt back at Greg's mansion seemed like an unnecessary comment; an insult, even. Though he was still indignant, feelings of guilt were beginning to surface.

He would definitely need to get Eevee alone later and clear things up with her. Exhaling deeply, he readjusted his scarf. _Why is my friendship with Eevee always so volatile?_

It didn't take too long for them to reach their destination – Ferrous City's general hospital. Whereas the Centre was the place to visit for treating ill and injured Pokémon, this was where humans go when they were not in the pink of health.

The hospital was a lot bigger than the Centre. It comprised of two main buildings, both of which are connected by several walkways in their upper floors. The compound in which they were built was large as well, complete with an open-air parking lot and a well-decorated garden. Several patients could be seen walking about the garden, some of whom were supported by friends or family members.

The guard walked in the compound, heading straight for the further of the two buildings. Lucario followed him, looking around at the surroundings. After a while, it occurred to him that Absol had lagged behind, gazing up at the building uncertainly. Stopping in his tracks, Lucario turned around and stared at his friend quizzically.

"What's wrong, Absol?"

"I… I shouldn't, Lucario," he said weakly, eyes still on the building. Noticing that two of their number had halted, everyone else stopped to stare at them.

"What do you mean?"

"This is a hospital. Someone like me… shouldn't be here."

Realising at once where Absol was going with this line of conversation, Lucario walked up to him and said firmly, "Come on – I thought we've been through this before. You are not a disaster harbinger. It doesn't matter."

"I know, I know," Absol said hastily, visibly flustered. "But… not everyone thinks that way, Lucario. And… even the least superstitious of people wouldn't really like seeing an Absol here at the hospital. It's… it's just the way it is. It's a bad omen to them. Our kind and hospitals don't mix."

"What about the Centre? You don't seem to mind going there."

"That's different. The Centre is for us Pokémon – at the very least, I'm not so out of place there. But this place is full of sick humans… No, Lucario, I've got to place myself in their shoes; my presence here will only cause unnecessary alarm. You guys go ahead, and I'll wait somewhere around here for you."

Lucario shook his head, though he could not think of a way to persuade Absol to change his mind. "But, Absol…"

"And," Absol said, lowering his voice so that only Lucario could hear, "especially since you're going to visit a girl who's very sick… All the more I should stay away."

"Staravia doesn't seem to mind you," Lucario said stubbornly.

Absol laughed, giving Lucario a slight nudge. "Drop it, Lucario. I'm staying out here, and that's final. You go ahead, and… uh… give her my best wishes. Just don't tell her that it's from an Absol."

"I'm so sorry, Absol…"

"What?" Absol said, laughing again. "What are you apologising for? Just go already – I really don't mind staying out here."

"All right then… I'll try not to take long."

Lucario walked back sullenly to the group. "He doesn't want to go in," he explained to them, though the guard was unable to understand a single thing he's saying. "Well… let's just go in then."

"Wait…" Eevee spoke up. She glanced at Absol for a second before turning back to the group. "I'll stay with Absol. Go ahead without me."

"What?" Lucario asked, startled. "You too, Eevee?"

"Yeah – I should keep Absol company."

Without waiting for a reply, she dashed off to join an astonished Absol. Lucario continued staring at her in surprise. He doubted she really wanted to stay behind just to keep Absol company. Perhaps she just wished to get away from the Aura Pokémon, after their conflict earlier. Nonetheless, he couldn't help but feel reassured slightly – Absol had mentioned before that he felt uncomfortable being in the city alone. With Eevee around, he'll be more at ease. Plus, perhaps they could get to know each other a little more.

"So, it's just the two of you then?" the guard asked Spike and Lucario.

Lucario nodded.

"Fine. Let's go."

**:::::::::::::::::::**

There were only three people when they entered the room on the third floor of the building. At the corner, sitting on a chair, was a woman Lucario had never seen before – she had short black hair which appeared slightly unkempt, and she seemed a little haggard – he could tell that she really needed a good night's sleep.

Standing by the window, with the sunlight shining down on his greying hair, was a familiar face. Lucario recognised him at once – it was the discipline teacher from the school he had been to before. The last time Lucario had seen the man, he had laid a trap for his plagiarising student, thereby publicly humiliating the boy. The Aura Pokémon was rather surprised to see him here again, of all places.

"Harris, you're back," he said gruffly as the guard entered the room.

"Yes, Mr. Ferguson." He turned towards the woman, who had stood up at his arrival. "Mrs. Flaherty, I've taken Staravia to the Pokémon Centre. There is nothing seriously wrong with her."

Harris, the guard, handed Staravia over to the woman, who then placed the avian gingerly on a cushion that had been seemingly prepared for the Starling Pokémon. Once she did so, she turned back to the guard gratefully. "Thank you, Mr. Belford. I'm so sorry to have troubled you, especially on your off day."

"Think nothing of it, really. I am only glad to help." He walked closer to the woman, gesturing for her to follow him. Looking slightly perplexed, she did so, heading towards the room's entrance where Lucario and Spike were standing. Glancing to make sure that Staravia was not watching, he whispered, "The nurse did mention that Staravia is very weak. If her depression gets worse, and if she still refuses to eat, the nurse strongly encourages you to bring her for counselling."

At this, Lucario glanced at Staravia. He had already known the bird was upset about something, but he wasn't aware that she had been starving herself. After a brief moment, he followed Staravia's gaze to the last human in the room – a girl, lying on the hospital bed.

Whether she was asleep or unconscious, he did not know, but upon looking at her face, Lucario finally understood why the name 'Emily' had been so familiar. He _had _seen her before in school. In fact, the first time he saw her, she was being praised by Gordon Ferguson – the discipline teacher – for winning a story-writing competition. She then read out her story in the prize ceremony, though Lucario did not get to hear it completely as he was occupied with reading the mind of Albert.

Lucario took a moment to scan her aura. It was very dim… Compared to the auras of everyone else in the room, Emily's was extremely weak. His mouth fell open as the brutal truth dawned on him: the girl's time was almost up.

"I didn't know you have a Lucario and Riolu, Harris," the teacher said suddenly, and Lucario turned to see Gordon staring at him. "When did you get them?"

"Oh, these two?" Harris said, laughing. "No, they are not mine. I have no idea who they belong to, actually. They wanted to come along, so I let them."

"You let two unknown Pokémon follow you here?" Gordon said in amusement. "For a security guard, you sure aren't cautious. For all you know, they could belong to a criminal or something."

"W–well, I don't think so, sir. I've seen the bigger one a couple of times at school, and he seems harmless." Despite his words, Harris eyed Lucario suspiciously, as though deciding that Gordon's concerns had merit after all.

Gordon looked from Lucario to the guard in surprise. "At school? What's he been doing at school?"

Harris recoiled slightly under the stern look from Gordon. "Well… er… you see…"

No longer interested in their conversation, Lucario walked over to the bed, with Spike timidly tagging along. Emily was pale, and her breathing slow. Though he tried to read her thoughts, he came up with nothing – at the moment, her mind was like a void.

Looking around, he noticed that there was a long tube connecting her hand to a small bag of liquid hung on a metal pole. Next to it, the bedside table was covered with tons of cards from various well-wishers. He wondered for a moment if Emily had even gotten a chance to see them.

The woman walked over to Lucario's side, and he quite thought that she was a little wary of him. However, he patted her hand gently, and she smiled. Like Staravia, there was a heavy sadness emanating from the woman. He felt powerless – he wanted to help them badly, but he had no idea what he could do.

"Mrs. Flaherty," Harris said from behind them, "I am afraid I have to go now. If you need any help, however, please do not hesitate to contact me."

"Oh, you've already been a big help, Mr. Belford. I must thank you again." She gestured towards Staravia sadly. "Emily would be so depressed if anything were to happen to Staravia. I'll definitely keep in mind what you told me earlier."

"No problem. I will drop by again sometime. Goodbye." He turned to the teacher. "Goodbye, Mr. Ferguson." He then said to Lucario, "Make sure you behave now, okay?"

Before he could head towards the door, Gordon called out, "Harris, hold on a minute. I'll leave with you." The teacher walked towards the woman. "Mrs. Flaherty, do take care of yourself as well. Don't neglect your own health – I'm sure your daughter wouldn't want that. Likewise, if you need my assistance, just give me a call."

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you both. Emily is lucky to have known people like you – and all of her friends at school too," she added, motioning towards the cards on the table. "She would be really touched."

"We are really lucky to have her," Gordon said. "I am sure I can speak for all of us when I say that we hope she'll be able to return to school soon."

She nodded, glancing at her daughter with a sad smile. "I hope so too."

Silence befell the room when the two men left. Mrs. Flaherty strode towards the corner and absent-mindedly poured herself a glass of water. Meanwhile, Staravia continued to stare blankly at Emily. Lucario glanced at Spike, who in turn looked back. Being the only visitors left in the room – and having no relation with the patient, to boot – the Aura Pokémon couldn't help but feel awkward.

"Would you like a piece of fruit?"

Lucario spun around to find Mrs. Flaherty holding a bowl of assorted fruit, which she held out to him and Spike. He shook his head politely, and gave a slight bow to convey his gratitude. The Riolu declined as well, gently pushing the bowl back to her.

"Well, please help yourself if you want one," she said kindly, before placing the bowl back on the table. As she did so, her eyes fell on a small package which was placed within a plastic bag. "Oh!" she gasped, grabbing the bag and rushing out of the room.

Stunned, Lucario turned to Spike, only to see that he was equally confused. "What was that all about?"

The Riolu shrugged indifferently. "Dunno. Maybe one of those guys forgot their stuff or something?" He placed his paws on the side of Emily's bed and looked at the girl. "A little careless of her, really – running out of the room like that and leaving her daughter in the company of two unknown Pokémon who could potentially turn out to be crooks."

"Shh – Spike, what are you saying?" Lucario quickly glanced up at Staravia, but she remained idle as ever. He suspected that she was not even aware of Mrs. Flaherty running out of the room. "We're not going to do anything criminal!"

"I know. Just saying."

"Well, anyway, let's just stay here and wait until she gets back. Then we'll take our leave. Perhaps I'll drop by again another day, but I really don't see what I can do to help."

Spike rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his aura receptors twitching. "How's her aura?" he whispered, making sure that only Lucario could hear him.

"It… doesn't look good, to be honest."

"Definitely no hope, then?"

Lucario shook his head, though he closed his eyes and examined Emily's life force once more. Like before, it was weak and wavering, like a candle flame in a strong wind. It showed signs of damage that had accumulated over a long period of time, and Lucario wondered for a moment what ailment it was that plagued her.

Whatever it was, however, he knew that her condition was beyond repair.

"If that's the case," Spike said gravely, "then there really isn't much you can do. Perhaps you could help her family, or fulfil any last wishes she might have – something of the sort."

When Lucario made no reply, the Riolu continued, surveying the Aura Pokémon with piercing eyes. "So… is this what human-watching is about? Going around, doing random acts of kindness?"

"No…" As appalled at Eevee's words as he had been earlier, doubt had taken root in his mind. Was he really here just for a show of concern? "Partially," he repeated without conviction. "I usually just study them… But I try to help when I can."

He was grateful when Spike did not continue. Instead, the Emanation Pokémon drew a little closer to Lucario, looking hesitant. At last, drawing a huge breath, the Riolu seemingly forced himself to speak up. "Actually, Lucario, I was wondering… Are you really sure it's all right for me to stay at your cave?"

"Hmm?" Lucario looked down at Spike, slightly surprised at the question. "Of course it's all right. Why do you ask? Is there something troubling you?"

"It's just that… yesterday…" Spike paused, scratching his ear. "You know, when we got back… I don't think Absol was very happy to see me."

Lucario's eyes widened, his astonishment growing by the second. "Absol? Wait – what makes you think he wasn't happy? He's a really friendly guy – really shy, though, but he'll get along with anybody. Believe me, you thought wrong. He's probably surprised that I've brought a Riolu home. Maybe you mistook that for anger or something."

"I'm a Riolu, I know emotions," Spike countered obstinately. "He certainly wasn't in a good mood last night. You even got into a quarrel and everything."

"A quarrel?" Lucario quickly replayed the events yesterday in his mind, and suddenly, everything became clear. "Oh – that wasn't a quarrel, Spike!" he said, chuckling. "Absol was just annoyed at me for coming home late. Any contempt you might have detected was directed at me."

"But it was because of me that you two fought…" Spike continued glumly.

"How did you come to that conclusion?" It was Lucario's turn to study Spike intently – he had never expected the Riolu to have an insecure side to him. "I went to the city by myself, and fell asleep in the bus. Thus, I'm the only one to blame. But Absol is a nice guy – trust me, Spike, he really wasn't angry. Not even in the slightest. I'm a Lucario. I know emotions too."

Spike took his words into consideration for a moment, and then managed a small smile.

At that point, the door opened, and Mrs. Flaherty walked in with a nurse. Lucario noticed that she was still holding on to the red plastic bag – she placed the package back on the table and stood next to the nurse anxiously.

The nurse examined the bag of liquid on the pole before checking the clipboard hanging on Emily's bed. After perusing it for a moment, she nodded. "Yes, like I have mentioned, Dr. Spencer will not be around this week." She glanced up at Mrs. Flaherty's worried face. "Please do not worry though. Dr. Brown will be taking over in the meantime. She will be coming to check on Emily later."

"All right. Thank you."

The nurse left, and Mrs. Flaherty sank on the chair with a sigh, appearing to be deep in thought. She looked worried for something, and Lucario could not help but feel a little concerned. Figuring that a little peek into her mind wouldn't hurt, he closed his eyes…

"_The new doctor is coming in soon, and I should wait here… But… I really should take this lunch back to Ryan… If only I remembered before those two left – and yet, they've already done so much… It wouldn't be nice to trouble them further… If only Staravia isn't so weak at the moment…"_

Lucario turned to stare at the package, and understood. Mrs. Flaherty needed someone to deliver the lunch she had bought to some Ryan, apparently. Though he had no idea who he was, here was an opportunity for him to step in and lend a helping paw, even though it was but a small chore.

He walked up to the woman; she had her eyes closed, and did not see the blue-furred Pokémon approaching. He patted her on the wrist gently to draw her attention, and she gave a start. When she saw that it was only Lucario, she smiled wearily. "Yes?"

Lucario raised a paw, volunteering his service. Mrs. Flaherty blinked, clearly not comprehending. "Is there something you want?"

The Aura Pokémon patiently pointed at the package on the table, before pointing back at himself.

"Oh." Mrs. Flaherty paused, looking uncomfortable. "I'm sorry… That package is for my son – I can't give it to you. You can have some fruit though, if you're hungry; or if you want, you can wait a little and I'll buy you something afterwards."

Lucario shook his head, blushing heavily. He pointed at the food again, then at himself, and finally, he mimicked walking. She stared bewilderedly, and he could tell from her expression that it was not working. Sighing, he took a moment to gather his thoughts.

Communicating with a human through telepathy was something he had only done once – not counting the time he had manipulated minds to help Absol with his investigation. And even in that single instance, all he did was transmit an image to the other party. Still, there was a first time for everything. He may not be able to articulate in English, but perhaps it would be easier through telepathy…

Focusing on how the three words in his message were pronounced, he closed his eyes and transmitted them to the woman…

"_I… can… help._"

Mrs. Flaherty jumped, looking at Lucario in disbelief. Once the shock had passed, she took a deep breath, though she was unable to say anything. He knew that she was still confused – it would seem that the telepathic message had startled her to the point where she did not register what he had actually said.

For the third time, Lucario pointed at the plastic bag.

Finally, she understood. "You… want to help me?" she asked tentatively, as though hardly daring to believe what Lucario was proposing. "Bring the food to my son?"

Lucario nodded, smiling.

Her expression changed to one of suspicion. "How did you know I was looking for someone to help me with that?"

The question stunned Lucario. He doubted Mrs. Flaherty would be too pleased if she found out that he had been probing about in her thoughts… Not knowing what to do, the fighting-type hung his head silently.

"Well… I guess that's not important." She scrutinised Lucario, looking uncertain. "It's nice of you to offer, but… Please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't even know who you are…"

"_I am… Lucario, a passer-by. That…_"he gestured at the Riolu, "_is Spike, a… a friend._" Turning to the confused Riolu, he said, "Say hello, Spike."

Though still bemused, Spike smiled broadly and waved a paw. "_Hi!_"

Trying to suppress a grin, Lucario continued his message. "_I understand your concerns… but… rest assured…_" He placed a paw on his chest and bowed his head slightly, hoping to convey his sincerity. "_You can trust us_."

"Oh… Well, it's nice to meet you, Lucario and Spike," she said to the both of them. "I must admit I was rather shocked when I heard your voice… But I don't know…" Mrs. Flaherty surveyed them, looking torn. After a pregnant pause, she nodded. "All right… I accept your offer. If you bring Staravia, she will show you the way to our home. I'm afraid you'll have to carry her though," she turned to the avian, who stared back, "since she's too weak to move at the moment."

The Aura Pokémon nodded.

Mrs. Flaherty fumbled about in her bag before pulling out a small chain of keys. She removed a single key and held it out to Lucario. "You'll have to use this to get in… Ryan will be home, but…"

Her voice trailed off, and Lucario stared at her, puzzled. Why would he need the key if her son was at home?

"Here. You know how to use it, don't you?"

He nodded once more, taking the key and examining it. It had been a long time since he last used one, but he figured it would be easy enough to figure out again.

"Please be careful not to leave it lying around though. I don't want it to fall into the wrong hands. I have a spare with me, so once you've left the food at home, just place the key on the table. Then, lock the door behind you as you leave. You can do so by pushing the little button on the knob from the inside. Did you get all that?"

Lucario hesitated, struggling to remember everything that she had said. "_I'm sorry… can you… repeat that, please?_"

She gave out her instructions once more, with Lucario hanging on to every word. When she finished, she took the bag and passed it to the Aura Pokémon. Though he was still unclear on her directions, he figured he would worry about that later. Mrs. Flaherty was now leaning close to Staravia, whispering something to the Pokémon. The bird gave the tiniest of nods, and the woman picked her up.

Realising that Mrs. Flaherty was about to pass Staravia to him, Lucario quickly handed the key and package to Spike, who had come to the blue-furred Pokémon's side. "You Pokémon can communicate between one another, right?" she asked, to which the fighting-type nodded. "Well, you can just drop Staravia off once you've reached our home."

A look of shock flickered through Staravia's face, and she gave a cry of protest. Mrs. Flaherty shook her head, looking down at the Pokémon in her arms with a warm smile. "It's all right. I'll be here to keep an eye on Emily. You should stay home and rest – you can come again tomorrow."

Staravia did not seem too happy about that, but she remained silent. Mrs. Flaherty placed the avian into Lucario's arms. "I'll leave it all to you then. Thank you very much for helping."

Lucario nodded, though his mind was more focused on the Pokémon he was carrying. No matter how he tried to adjust Staravia's position, he was unable to find a comfortable stance. She was warm and her feathers were soft, but it was incredibly awkward to be holding on to a stranger.

Giving up, he gave a bow to Mrs. Flaherty before heading out of the room with Spike. The Riolu was sniggering openly; apparently, he was able to detect the embarrassment emitting from Lucario. The Aura Pokémon had half a mind to suggest that Spike carry the flying-type instead, while he carried the key and food.

"Don't swing the plastic bag so much," he grumbled to Spike. "There's food inside after all."

Upon exiting the hospital, the group found Absol and Eevee at the distance, sitting in the shade of a large car at the parking lot. Eevee was staring downwards, her ears and tail sagging. Absol, looking incredibly awkward, seemed to be uttering a few words to her, though they were too far for Lucario to hear what their conversation was about.

Eevee seemed really depressed though… His outburst must have caused some serious damage, Lucario thought to himself miserably.

As they walked closer, Absol glanced up mid-speech and spotted them. A look of immense relief crossed his features, and he gave Eevee a light nudge while gesturing at the group. The two of them got to their feet, with Absol staring at Staravia curiously.

"We're back," Lucario announced. "Are you two all right?"

Eevee gave a half-hearted nod, while Absol said, "Of course we are – why wouldn't we be? Er…" The Disaster Pokémon stepped out into the sun, his white fur glistening in the light. He stared at Staravia for an instant before shooting Lucario a quizzical look.

"We'll be making a short detour to Staravia's home. After dropping off the lunch for a boy who's staying there, we'll head towards any food centre nearby and have a meal of our own. I'm so sorry for the long wait – I hope none of you are too hungry at the moment?"

Though he was looking at Eevee, she did not reply. Instead, it was Absol who spoke up again. "Seriously, we're fine." He added with a grin, "And you keep saying that _I'm_ the worrywart."

"Now why do I get the feeling you've said something like that before?" He glanced down at Staravia – she had neither moved nor spoke since they left Emily's room. "All right, let's get going. Staravia, how do we get to your house?"

Staravia gave a start, breaking out of her trance-like state. She glanced around for a moment as if to determine where she was before pointing to the west with the tip of her wing. "We live somewhere in that direction."

"Got it. Er… are you comfortable, Staravia? Is my spike bothering you?"

At the mention of his name, the Riolu glanced up, but Lucario was focused on the Starling Pokémon. He was carrying her below the spike on his chest, but he had the constant fear that it would injure her as they walked.

"I'm fine," she replied.

"Oh… okay. Let's go then."

Before they set off, Lucario turned to the Evolution Pokémon, still sitting in the shade. She seemed to be in some sort of internal conflict, but before he could do anything, her expression darkened and she stood up. Whereas she was filled with apparent melancholy earlier, her emotions were now stained with blotches of anger. With her tail erect, she nodded. "Let's go."

Wondering if her fury was directed at him, Lucario could only nod back.

Staravia was pretty much silent throughout the whole journey, only uttering brief instructions when they had to make a turn. The sadness and worry were still plaguing her mind, and occasionally he caught a memory or two emanating from her. All of these reminiscences were of the happier times she had spent with her human. Clearly the bond between them was very strong…

"We live on the third floor…" Staravia said at last, pointing upwards.

Lucario stared at the building, his mouth agape. "You live _here_?"

They had reached a place that Lucario was very familiar with. It was the same building where he once observed a ragtag bunch – including a teacher, a bank-teller, and a mischievous Infernape – living together on the seventh floor. The walls had been given a fresh coat of paint, but otherwise, it looked the same as Lucario had remembered it.

"Isn't this…" Absol began, examining the building.

"Yeah, it is!" Lucario exclaimed, still surprised that Mrs. Flaherty and her family were living here. "We've been here before – this is where Flaze lives! They were in the seventh floor before, but after what happened, I wonder if they're still staying there…"

"We live on the third floor," Staravia repeated, apparently not registering their conversation.

"Yes, okay," Lucario said distractedly, his focus on the apartment. "Let's go in."

The damaged furniture in the lobby had already been replaced with newer ones, though it seemed the manager had maintained the old layout. A different set of magazines were placed on top of the table, and Lucario made a mental note to read them if he had the time.

From behind the counter, the manager himself lowered the newspaper he was reading, peering at the group through his thick glasses. Lucario met his gaze, and the Aura Pokémon saw a flicker of recognition in the old man's eyes. It wasn't surprising that he would recognise the fighting-type; the fire incident, though old, was probably one he would remember for a long time. Lucario gave a small bow, to which the man returned with a nod and a small smile before returning to his newspaper.

Deciding that they should use the elevator, Lucario pushed the button to summon it. When the doors opened, he walked in and pushed the button so that the doors would not close on his friends. Everyone poured in quickly, with the exception of Absol, who took a step back instead.

Lucario stared at him sternly. "Let me guess. You want to wait down here."

"Ha, it's as if you can read my mind," Absol said sheepishly. "Which you can, come to think of it."

"Absol, you've been in this building before – and Staravia doesn't mind – do you, Staravia?" he added, looking down at the Starling Pokémon.

It took a moment for her to realise that she was being spoken to. "I beg your pardon?"

"Is it all right if Absol follows us as well?"

"Sure…"

Lucario turned back to his friend. "See? Will you come in now?"

Absol hesitated, looking flustered. "I dunno…"

A loud buzz rang through the elevator, causing Lucario to startle and let go of the button he was pressing. The doors swiftly began to close, but he jammed his foot in the middle, causing them to open once more. He glanced around wildly, looking for the source of the sound. "What was that?"

"Don't worry," Spike said, holding back laughter. "It just means that you've been holding the doors open for too long. Or the weigh limit has been exceeded, but I doubt that."

"Oh." Lucario looked at the Disaster Pokémon again. "See, Absol, even the elevator is mad at you. Hurry up already!"

The white-furred Pokémon remained rooted on his spot, and Lucario placed Staravia on Spike's head, ignoring the Riolu's indignant protests. He then got out and shoved Absol from behind, barely making it back inside before the doors shut. With a triumphant air, he pushed the button for the third floor and waited as the tiny compartment brought them to their destination.

When the doors opened again, Lucario quickly ushered everyone out into the hallway. Unlike the one in the seventh floor, there were more doors around, and a few of the residents had placed several of their effects outside their homes – most of which consisted of miniature potted plants. The Aura Pokémon briefly wondered if he should decorate the entrance to his cave as well, before figuring he might as well install a huge signboard to alert intruders to the existence of his home.

"Three doors to the right… that's my home…" Staravia said, still perched on the Riolu's head.

Lucario turned towards the right. Unlike most of the other residents, Emily's family had not decorated their entrance. Lucario walked up to the door and took the key from Spike before inserting it clumsily into the hole. Try as he might, the door would not unlock, and he began to exert a little more force before Spike stopped him.

"You're going to break it. Here, let me try."

Stepping aside, he handed the key to Spike and watched as the Riolu pushed it gently into the keyhole. With just one twist of his paw, a click sounded, and he pulled the key back out with a grin.

"Riolu of multiple talents indeed," Lucario said bewilderedly. "How did you get so good – did you make a habit of picking locks or something?"

The smile did not leave Spike's face. "If I did, I wouldn't tell you, would I? And anyway, you don't use a key to pick locks – where's the point in that?"

Lucario ignored the comment and turned the knob, making his way into Mrs. Flaherty's home. The room was roughly the same size as Zack and his housemates', though it lacked the lively atmosphere that was ever-present with the occupants on the seventh floor.

He took a few steps in, looking around and admiring the place. Though he had been to quite a number of human residences now, there was something about exploring a new home that intrigued Lucario to no end. It was always great to see how humans add their personal touches to the place they live in.

The first thing Lucario noticed was a piano placed by the window at the far end of the room. The light shining through the window illuminated its dusty surface, but even that did not detract from its grandeur. For a moment, he nearly forgot himself, almost running to the gigantic musical instrument to try it out.

There was no one in the living room, though he could detect the presence of a boy cooped up within a bedroom. The person gave no indication of being aware that someone had entered the house, which Lucario found strange. Surely he had heard Lucario trying to open the door?

"All right, Staravia, we're here." Lucario took the bag from Spike's paws and walked over to what seemed to be the dining table. There were a few unwashed plates on it – Lucario stared at them for a moment before placing the bag on the corner. "Should I call Mrs. Flaherty's son out to have his lunch?"

Staravia shook her head. "He'll come out when he's hungry…"

"He'll – wait, what? Are you sure?" Lucario turned to the wooden door which led to where Ryan was. He had thought it strange when Mrs. Flaherty handed over the key for the house when there was someone at home who could have opened the door for him. Now, however, he believed he knew the reason why… Judging by what Staravia had said, as well as her apparent discontent with the boy, Lucario guessed that he had cooped himself up in the room for some time now, only coming out when it was necessary.

Staravia stretched her wings and hopped off Spike's head, landing softly on the floor. She hopped towards a purple cushion by the corner and settled on it, closing her eyes. "He always does."

"But…" Concerned, Lucario scanned the boy's aura once more. Though he was alive and well, there was something odd about him – there were no emotions or thoughts emanating from the human at all.

Ryan was lying on his bed, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the cover of some book at his side. Staring straight at the ceiling fan above him, he was counting the number of rotations it made. Occasionally, his mind would blank out for a few seconds, and then he would begin counting from zero once more.

Just how long had he been doing this?

Not wanting to leave him in this zombie-like state, Lucario walked up and rapped his paw on the door, calling out to Ryan. This didn't go unnoticed – by probing into his mind, Lucario found that he had successfully gained the attention of the boy.

Ryan had stopped his fingers in midair, pondering the voice he had just heard. It was undoubtedly the cry of a Pokémon, though not one he was familiar with. He tilted his head slightly to the right, glancing at the wall clock. It was about lunch time – his mother had probably asked someone to deliver food to him again. He would have it later… he wasn't hungry now…

Lucario was about to knock again when he heard the front door creak as someone pushed it open a little wider. Startled, he turned around to see a familiar face – Zack, the university student whom he had human-watched the last time he had been in this building. The trainer was equally surprised to see Lucario and the group inside. He scrutinised Lucario for a moment, rubbing his chin.

"Say, aren't you that Lucario I've seen back when –"

Without warning, Zack gave a slight groan as he stumbled forward into the room. He wheeled around angrily to face the other newcomer – his very own Pokémon partner, an Infernape, grinning broadly at the boy.

"Flaze, what's the big idea, shoving me like that!" he yelled, but the fire-type was now pushing his way into the room, paying no heed to his trainer. A look of surprise shot across his features for a second when he spotted Lucario, but his smile quickly returned.

"Long time no see!" he said cheerfully, giving a little wave to both Absol and Lucario. "What brings you here to this dump of a building today?"

Lucario beamed, walking over to the fire-type. "Flaze, it's been a while! How have you been?"

"More or less the same," he replied with a shrug. "Nothing ever happens in this city. It's quite boring."

"I'd be satisfied with nothing happening though," Lucario said, thinking about Xatu's prediction. "How's everyone on the seventh floor? Or have you been given a new place after what happened last time?"

"No, we're all still there. And the answer's the same: nothing much has changed. How about you though? I see your group has doubled since the last time we met. Hello," he said to Spike and Eevee. He turned back to the Aura Pokémon and gestured towards the Riolu. "The little one your child?"

"No, he's just –"

"What are all of you doing here, anyway?" Zack interrupted, looking round at the gang again. "Surely you all don't live here… I mean, I know there's a Staravia," he said, looking at the bird. She was staring back at him blankly – Lucario wasn't sure if she had truly registered Zack's presence. "But I didn't think Ryan's family had this many Pokémon."

Lucario shook his head and pointed at the bag of food he had placed on the table. Then he gestured towards Ryan's room.

Zack stared at the blue-furred Pokémon perplexedly. "I have no idea what you're trying to say."

Patiently, Lucario repeated his gestures again before miming the act of eating. Though he could have tried communicating with telepathy again, he was hesitant to do so with Zack – the boy had dreams of conquering the League. A Pokémon capable of telepathy would probably be invaluable to his team. As much as he liked and trusted the boy, some doubts still remained.

Besides, the less who knew about his abilities, the better.

"Food?" Zack said at last, to which Lucario quickly nodded. "For… Ryan? Is he in there?"

Lucario nodded again, but Zack still looked stumped. "So… you're bringing food for Ryan? Weird. I still don't know how you're related to the family, but I suppose it doesn't matter. I'll call Ryan out."

Lucario made way for Zack as the boy strode towards the door and began knocking on it. He looked at Flaze again. "So, why are you here?"

"The boy living here is apparently an acquaintance of Zack's from university," Flaze said indifferently, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall. "Zack decided to drop by for a visit, and when we arrived, the door was open."

"Yeah… I guess I forgot to shut the door. We're only here for a short while though. We came from the hospital," Lucario added, staring at Flaze in the hopes that the fire-type could shed some light on the family's background.

"Hospital?" Flaze paused for a moment, looking confused. "Ah… Right, I heard from Zack that a relative of the boy here is seriously ill. Not sure who it is, or what the ailment is, but apparently it's affecting this friend of Zack's."

"It's the boy's sister," Lucario said. "And it is bad; I think there isn't much time left for her."

"Hmm… that's too bad," Flaze replied, somewhat indifferently. "Well, I don't really know much about the family – all I know is that the boy staying here goes to the same university as Zack, though he's been absent for a long time now. Hence the reason why we're popping in."

"I see…" Lucario turned around in time to see the door to Ryan's room swing open. Though the Aura Pokémon somewhat expected the boy to appear dishevelled, Ryan was surprisingly neat and alert. His black hair was slightly long though; it seemed as though he had gone without a haircut for a while.

"Hello, Zack." Ryan's voice was clear, though slightly monotonous. He glanced around at all the Pokémon in the room without emotion, though his eyes did pause on Absol a little longer compared to the others. "I guess you've made decent progress with your dream of being a Champion… you've got quite the team going on already."

"Huh?" Zack followed Ryan's gaze. "Oh, you're wrong – those aren't mine. The only one in my team is that grinning idiot over there. I have absolutely no idea where the others came from, but apparently, they brought your lunch."

Ryan eyed the packet that Lucario had placed on the table. "I see. Well, thanks," he said, glancing round at the Aura Pokémon and his entourage, "and sorry to have bothered you all."

Lucario shook his head before pointing at Staravia.

"Oh, so you've brought back Staravia as well." He stared at the Starling Pokémon for a moment; the flying-type had her eyes closed again.

"So, Ryan, why haven't you been in classes lately? Your group project members were pretty mad – you pretty much up and left without warning."

Ryan raised his eyebrows, brushing off his black hair as it fell over his eyes. "I sent the teacher an e-mail to say that I'm dropping the class. Didn't she inform my group mates?"

Zack regarded him in surprise. "What? You're dropping the class?"

"As that was quite some time ago, it'd be more accurate to say that I _have _dropped the class. I've dropped them all – I'm not going back."

There was a brief pause as Zack stared at Ryan in disbelief. "You're in your final year. You've come this far. Are you going to let all those years go down the drain like that?"

"So what?" Ryan folded his arms obstinately, his calm demeanour changing in a flash. "All I'll get at the end of it is a piece of paper anyway. I don't need it. Anyway, I've already notified the university a few weeks back. It's too late to change my mind, not that I want to anyway."

"Your name's still in the system though. I've checked the register for the two classes that we share, and your name is still listed there."

Ryan dismissed the comment with a small wave of his hand. "They just haven't updated it, that's all."

"Ryan, the online register is updated daily," Zack said exasperatedly. "You know as well as I do that it's pretty much automatic. I'm telling you, you're still a student of our university. I have another friend who dropped the same class just last week for a legitimate reason, and his name has already been removed from the list."

"What do you mean by 'legitimate reason'?" Ryan retorted, his voice rising as he took a step closer to Zack. "Are you saying that my reason for quitting is not legitimate at all?"

Right besides him, Lucario could feel Flaze tensing himself, as though ready to jump in and defend his partner. Zack stared straight into Ryan's eyes and said unfalteringly, "I know why you're dropping out. I understand how you must be feeling right now, but your sister wouldn't want this, and you know that."

At the mention of Emily, Ryan's face darkened. "Don't talk to me about her!"

Seemingly startled by the outburst, Spike hastily took a few steps backwards, almost tripping on Lucario's feet. The Aura Pokémon held the Riolu by his shoulders to help Spike regain his balance as he observed Ryan. Lucario could feel the rage emanating from him, though it was coupled with confusion.

Ryan himself had no idea why the mere mention of his sister would make his blood boil. He had been trying to avoid thinking about her inevitable fate for the past few days, and to have it suddenly thrown at him from an outsider… It ticked him off somehow. Zack claimed to understand, but who was he trying to kid? Zack didn't even know Emily – he wouldn't give two hoots about what happened to her…

"All right, I'm sorry," Ryan said finally, breaking the awkward silence that befell them. "Look, I don't want to talk about it now. You came to check on me; I appreciate that. I'm fine. I just need some rest, so… I'll see you some other time."

Zack studied Ryan for a while before nodding. "Okay. I hope the next time I see you, it'll be in class." He walked over and beckoned Flaze to follow him as he made his way to the door.

The Flame Pokémon patted Lucario on the back. "I'll make a move first. See you around – Zack's been pretty boring lately what with exams coming, so drop by if you have the time."

"I will. See you, Flaze."

The duo strode out into the hallway, but Zack turned around before disappearing from sight. "You know," he said to Ryan, "I think the reason why your name is still in the system is because the teachers are aware of what you're going through. I'm sure they're hoping you would reconsider, and I strongly advise you to do so. Please give it some thought."

With that, he left.

Almost simultaneously, the group of Pokémon – minus Staravia – turned to look at Ryan. The boy sighed, shaking his head as he made to walk inside his room again. Upon catching sight of the Pokémon, he faltered. "Well… thanks again for helping. I'll see you out."

He strode over and ushered the group towards the front door. Before heading out, Spike pressed the house key into Ryan's palm, eliciting a small "Thanks," from the boy. "See you then," he added, before closing the door on them.

Lucario heard a little click from within. Though somewhat taken aback by the sudden forced departure, he was glad that it was Ryan who locked the door, and not him – he hadn't really understood Mrs. Flaherty's instructions. How was he supposed to lock the door behind him as he left? Perhaps Spike would know; he made a mental note to ask the Riolu later.

"Oh," Lucario said suddenly. "I forgot to say goodbye to Staravia!"

"Don't worry about it; she probably didn't even notice," Absol said. "Did you see the look on that guy's face when he saw me though? I told you I shouldn't have come!"

"Don't worry about it; he probably didn't even notice." Upon seeing the look on Absol's face, he quickly added, "No, seriously, there wasn't any anger or anything coming from Ryan when he spotted you. Just ask Spike if you don't believe me." He nudged the Riolu. "Right, Spike?"

"Huh?" Spike, who had been looking distraught, snapped out of his reverie and stared at them both. "What?"

"Ryan wasn't angry at all, was he?"

"Are you kidding me? He was as mad as anything – didn't you see him yell at the other kid earlier?"

"No, I was talking about Absol!" Lucario explained hurriedly. "Did you sense any anger from Ryan when he saw Absol?"

"Oh, I dunno… I wasn't really paying attention."

"He certainly observed me for quite some time though," Absol interrupted. "All right, enough talk. Let's get out of here."

The others nodded, but Lucario hesitated, glancing at the door. "Hmm…"

Spike stared at him questioningly. "Is anything the matter?"

"Oh, I know that look," Absol said teasingly. "Am I right, Lucario? Is it human-watching time again?"

"No, no, it's not!" Lucario said hastily, casting a quick glance at Eevee. There was something accusatory in the way she was staring at him – he shook his head, trying to plead with her silently, but he was interrupted by Absol.

"It's not? Did you give your hobby a new name, then?"

"No, and to prove that I'm not going to human-watch," Lucario shoved Absol forward, "let's get out of here and have our lunch."

The grin faded from Absol's face and he regarded the Aura Pokémon seriously. "Hey, if you really want to do it though, go ahead – don't worry about us. We'll hang around at the lobby or something; just make sure you don't progress to human-watching all the residents in this building."

"No," Lucario repeated firmly. "I'm not going to human-watch. Come on, let's go already." He began pushing Absol all the way towards the elevator, ignoring protests from the white-furred Pokémon.

"There's a café over there," Lucario said once they got out of the building, pointing to a shop situated opposite of the apartment. It was new – he didn't remember seeing it the last time he was here. Whether or not its food was good, Lucario did not know, but he would have a chance to slip into Ryan's mind if they ate there.

Not for human-watching, though, he reminded himself. He was just… slightly curious.

A suspicious look flitted across Absol's face for a moment, but Lucario feigned innocence as he ushered all of them towards the shop. He pushed the door opened and felt a rush of cold air on his face.

The shop's interior was air-conditioned, creating a perfect refuge for people and Pokémon seeking shelter from the sweltering sun outside. The café was packed, with only a few empty tables left. The patrons were chatting together quite loudly, draining out the smooth jazz music that was playing. Lucario hurried over to an empty spot and sat down, beckoning the rest to follow.

Absol and Eevee took their seats, but Spike had detached himself from the group to obtain four sets of the menu, which he handed over to each one of them when he got back. "Let's order!" he proclaimed joyously before flipping straight into the ice-cream page.

Lucario browsed through the menu, which was filled with beautiful photographs of the café's food. He was startled at the price of most of them – they were certainly more expensive than anything he'd ever eaten before. Still, it was rare that everyone got together for a meal. Perhaps a little expenditure every now and then wouldn't hurt.

The Aura Pokémon peeked at Absol and Eevee, who were sitting on the opposite side of the table. The two were having a small discussion about what to order. Whereas the blue-furred fighting-type seemed to be drifting further apart from Eevee (again), the Evolution Pokémon seemed to have grown closer to Absol. When did that happen, Lucario wondered. She had appeared to be afraid of him before.

Spike closed his menu with a _fwump_, placing it on the table with a disappointed expression.

"What's wrong?" Lucario asked.

"This café is ripping its customers off," he said bitterly. "Someone should complain. The price of an ice-cream here equals to two elsewhere. I'm not having anything."

"Maybe the food here is better. Look," he pointed at several pictures of ice-creams on his own menu, "it's decorated very beautifully, don't you think? See all those sprinkles and nuts and whatnot. Very good presentation, I must say."

"I buy an ice-cream for eating, not for looking."

"Come on, give it a try anyway. Unless you want to go for something else – surely you can't just have ice-cream for lunch…"

The Riolu shrugged, reluctantly dragging his menu back to himself. "It's not like I haven't done so before."

"Well, there was a time when I only had ice-cream for lunch before. I suppose once in a while, it's okay, but wouldn't you get a stomach-ache or something if you do that frequently?"

Spike grinned. "I have an iron stomach. I can handle anything."

"If you're sure then, feel free to order anything you want."

"No, no." Spike quickly pushed the menu away once more. "I'll be happy with something else – berries from the forest, for instance. Please don't waste your money on me; a ferry ticket is more than I could ever ask for."

"Nonsense. If you don't want to choose something then I'll order for you myself." Lucario took the menu and placed it in Spike's paws. "Take your pick."

Spike smiled gratefully before burying his nose into the menu again. Lucario followed suit, looking at the section on beverages. The store offered a nice variety on various drinks. He was quite amazed at how many different kinds of tea and coffee there were – they all looked mostly identical to him.

After a while, Lucario decided to settle on something simple – toast with jam – though it was still priced on the high side. Spike went for a single-scoop chocolate ice-cream, while Absol and Eevee decided to have a single fruit tart each. Surprised that they were all ordering so little, he persuaded them to pick more items from the menu, but everyone declined. Sighing in defeat, he called for a waitress whom he noticed had been eyeing them for a while now.

She took their order quietly, looking nervous as she jotted down on her notepad whilst Lucario pointed out the food they wanted. Once Lucario was done, she began to collect the menus – Lucario held on to his firmly, shaking his head and trying to convey without words that he still wanted to read it.

She understood, but before she left the table, she cleared her throat and said nervously, "Pardon me, patrons usually pay up after their meal, but… we have a policy, you see… if the group consists of only Pokémon…"

The waitress seemed hesitant to continue, but Lucario could guess where she was going with that line of conversation. Giving a reassuring smile, he unravelled the scarf on his neck to reveal a few crumpled notes hidden between the folds. He took them out and did a quick calculation before handing her the required amount. As though relieved that he was not going to attack, she broke into a smile and accepted the money with thanks.

When she left, Spike looked at Lucario incredulously. "You keep your money in your scarf?"

"Only sometimes," Lucario said as he wore the scarf around his neck once more. "It's convenient. When there are coins involved, however, I usually ask for a paper bag."

"That's no good. It could drop at any time. Why don't you get a proper bag or something? You can carry all sorts of other stuff in it too."

"Hmm… I never really thought about it. I suppose a bag could be useful." He patted the scarf lightly. "In the meantime though, I'll just use my scarf. I wrapped it quite tightly, so the money is quite secure. Besides, I'm very careful – I would notice if it dropped."

The waitress came back with some coins as change, which Lucario placed on the table for the time being. Absol and Eevee were chatting again, while Spike had taken one of the coins to play with, trying to see how long he could keep it spinning. Lucario watched the Riolu with mild interest for a minute before placing his menu vertically on the table, hiding his face from view of the others. Pretending to read, he closed his eyes and directed his senses towards the third floor of the opposite building.

Having just finished his lunch, Ryan stood up, pushing the empty packet of food away. He was about to walk back to his room when he spotted the dirty dishes that had accumulated over the past few days. Sighing, he debated with himself for a moment before taking them towards the sink.

With a sponge soaked in dishwashing liquid, he began to scrub the dishes. Finally, a new activity to help break the ennui of his daily routine – or, to be more precise, his lack of one. How long had he been like this anyway? The days had passed by so quickly that it was hard to keep track sometimes. Or was it the opposite? Perhaps time had crawled by instead.

He wouldn't know. He had already lost all sense of time.

Ryan turned on the tap and began to wash the dishes one by one. He had pretty much cut off contact with the outside world. Zack had been the first person he had spoken to in days, he realised.

He hadn't even been talking to his mother. She was mostly out at the hospital, but she did drop by from time to time, during which Ryan would lock himself up in his room and pretend to sleep. Occasionally, when asked a question by his mother, he would just grunt from his room to reassure her that he was still alive.

There wasn't anything to say anyway. His sister's illness was hurting his mother as much as it hurt him. Perhaps more. She was her mother, after all. Then again, he was her brother.

If his father was still alive, perhaps things would be different. He would have been an additional source of comfort in this trying times – he would certainly provide solace to his mother, and she back to him. He would fill the emptiness that Ryan was unable to fill.

But no. He had gone, and Emily would soon follow. The same disease, the same death. Emily was just unlucky – her age of onset for the disease was much, much earlier.

Ryan began to rub the dishes with much more force as he thought back to the times when the sickness started to manifest itself in Emily. She would occasionally lose control of her own body. Once, she fell down a flight of stairs – she had to walk with crutches for some time after that, but she still insisted on going to school. She even read out her prize-winning story while her leg was injured.

Emily had accepted her fate.

However, despite her constant optimism, despite the happy façade everyone wore around her, a constant gloom had settled in. Emily never showed anyone else how afraid she was of her fate, but he knew how miserable she was inside.

Ryan may have had lost his sense of time, but he knew that it continued ticking, that persistent enemy.

Finally done with the dishes, Ryan walked back to the table to retrieve the packet of food he had eaten earlier. There were still little bits of rice in it. He turned to Staravia. "Hey, you hungry?"

The bird had her eyes closed, and did not respond.

"Staravia?"

Silence. He did not know if the bird was genuinely asleep or merely ignoring him, but he could not be bothered to find out. He chucked the package into the bin and walked over to the television, turning it on before sinking into the sofa. There wasn't a program in particular that he wanted to watch; he just wanted to distract his mind a little.

As Lucario slowly came back to himself, he opened his eyes and was startled to find that his paws were grasping thin air – his menu had disappeared. His three friends were looking at him oddly; he turned to his side to find that it was Spike who had taken the menu away.

"Uh…" He laughed nervously. "I was… um… meditating?"

"Meditating?" Spike and Absol echoed at the same time. None of them, Eevee included, appeared to have bought the story.

"Oh, look!" Lucario exclaimed, spotting the dishes that had been placed on the table. "I didn't know our food have arrived," he said truthfully. "All right, let's eat then."

Ignoring their stares, Lucario pulled his plate of toast over to himself. It was just a few pieces of toast, but they were placed neatly atop one another, each of them a beautiful golden brown. There was a pleasant aroma wafting from it, which Lucario took in happily before munching on the piece of bread.

It was hard and hot, and very crispy. Tiny bits of crumbs fell onto the plate as he bit on it. The toast had been buttered, giving it a rich taste. After swallowing the first bite, he noticed two small packets of jam that had been placed on the plate as well. Their labels indicated that they were apple and Oran flavour.

After much difficulty trying to peel the tiny cover of the packets, Lucario succeeded, and he placed both of them back on the plate. With a knife, he spread the apple jam on his half-eaten toast and sampled it. The jam added a slightly sour taste to the toast, but he quite liked it.

The Oran jam was next – Lucario spread it over a second piece of toast and savoured the sweetness it provided. Half of the toast had been eaten before he decided to mix both jams: the combination was, for lack of a better word, amazing. Perhaps this was why the toast was priced higher than expected – the quality was just superb.

Looking around at his friends, he saw Absol and Eevee having some difficulties with their tarts – pieces of fruit kept falling off. In the end, Absol gave up trying to keep all the pieces together and instead, settled on just gobbling everything up. Eevee, on the other hand, was taking it slow with small nibbles.

On his side, Spike was eating his dessert – placed on a cup – with a spoon, though that did not stop the Riolu from making a mess of himself. Chopped nuts and sprinkles had stuck to the sides of his mouth, reminding Lucario of the time when Absol sampled some vanilla ice-cream.

Continuing with his toast, Lucario reflected on the events that day. "Oh yeah, Spike, there was something I wanted to ask you."

Spike turned to the Aura Pokémon, sporting what appeared to be a beard of chocolate ice-cream. "Hmm?"

"You know the expression 'I don't give two hoots'? Is it the same if I say 'I don't give a Hoothoot' instead? I mean… well, it's still two hoots, right?"

"That… well… I never heard it being used that way before… I think you should just stick with the original. Why the sudden question anyway?"

"Oh, it's nothing. It was just a phrase I came across earlier, and it got me thinking."

"Earlier?" Spike cocked his head to the side. "When? I don't remember the phrase ever popping up."

"Let me guess," Absol said. "You came across it when you were mind-reading?"

"Sort of," Lucario replied defiantly. "It was back when Zack was talking with Ryan. I was merely observing; not human-watching, I assure you."

Absol eyed the Aura Pokémon in amusement. "What's with you today? You're usually enthusiastic about human-watching, but today, you get very nervous and defensive when the topic comes up."

Lucario automatically glanced at Eevee. The Evolution Pokémon stiffened, but then shook her head. "You know…" she began slowly, looking down at her fruit tart. "It really isn't a problem if you want to human-watch. Just go and do it – you don't have to get nervous."

"No, Eevee… I wasn't trying to human-watch…"

"Stop making excuses, please. I understand – really, I do. It's your hobby. You don't have to feel guilty about it."

"Eevee…"

The Evolution Pokémon paid no attention to the fighting-type as she busied herself with her tart. Miserable, Lucario continued with his toast – suddenly, it wasn't so delicious anymore. Meanwhile, Absol was looking between the two, seemingly puzzled. The dark-type's confusion struck Lucario odd. Didn't Eevee tell Absol that she had gotten into a small argument with the fighting-type? Weren't they discussing it in the hospital's parking lot?

Whatever the case may be, Lucario was glad Absol did not pursue the matter.

"Lucario," Eevee said suddenly, causing Lucario to stop mid-bite. "Please, forget about all that I've said earlier. I spoke out against my better judgement."

Spike lowered his spoon as he, along with Absol, turned to stare at the Evolution Pokémon.

"No, Eevee, I understood what you were getting at. After all, from someone else's point of view, what I'm doing can be seen as –"

Eevee held out a paw, casting a nervous glance at Spike and Absol before turning to the Aura Pokémon. "Please, stop. You don't have to justify anything."

Lucario eyed her for a moment, figuring that she was not really comfortable with discussing the subject in the presence of others. He could wait until there was an opportunity to get Eevee alone, but he really didn't want to prolong this longer.

Closing his eyes and pretending to be occupied with his toast, he sent out another telepathic message, "_I _have _to justify._"

At the sudden voice in her head, Eevee coughed and sputtered, sending out bits of fruit onto the table. A nearby customer stopped talking to her companion and eyed the Evolution Pokémon in disgust. Eevee stared at the human shamefacedly before glaring at Lucario.

"_Eevee… I have to apologise for what happened earlier. I know you meant well… I was just shocked at what you said, that's all._" When she opened her mouth, he quickly added, "_You don't have to answer me now – I can more or less understand what you want to say anyway. Look, I promise you that I'm not human-watching just for entertainment – but I don't blame you for having thought so. After all, I didn't give you a favourable first impression; you probably thought I would just do anything for fun, didn't you?_"

At his last statement, images of their first encounter in Greg's mansion flashed through Eevee's mind. He saw himself bumping into the glass door; he heard himself greet Eevee enthusiastically despite him being an intruder… "_Hello!_" he had said cheerfully at that time, "_It is a wonderful place you're living in._" Had he really been that boisterous back then?

The scene imploded, and Lucario stared at Eevee bewilderedly. He was surprised that she could still recall so vividly the time they first met. Perhaps there was something significant in that memory which he was still unable to figure out…

Sighing inwardly, he sent out a final message to her. "_Eevee, I think we need to have a talk. There is just so much for us to discuss, and it's time to clear certain things up once and for all. I will not force you though… but if you want to… I'm always here, okay?_"

He watched her silently as she remained still for a few seconds before giving the littlest of nods. Slightly reassured, Lucario returned to his toast. He had known Eevee for a few months now, and though she was a complete mystery at first, he felt that he was starting to understand her a little better… Soon, perhaps, he would be able to break through the final barrier that divided them both.

If she would let him.

When their meal was complete, the group walked out of the café and back into the sweltering heat. Shielding his eyes from the sun, Lucario glanced at the others. They were already beginning to walk away from the area – he followed them a few steps before looking back hesitantly. This did not go unnoticed by Absol, who grinned as he shook his head.

He lowered his voice into a whisper so that the others could not hear. "You want to stay and human-watch, don't you?"

Lucario faltered, turning to Eevee. She seemed to have got the gist of what Absol was saying, even if she could not hear him. She nodded reassuringly, and he stared back at Absol. "Well… I would prefer if you use the word 'observe'."

"Same difference. Anyway, if you really want to… _observe_… then I'll _observe _with you." He turned to Spike and Eevee, "Lucario has some unfinished business in the city, so you two can head back into the forest and rest if you want. No point staying out in this heat." Almost immediately after he said that, Absol groaned. "Oh, I forgot – you would need Secret Power to open the cave entrance…"

"That's not a problem." Lucario pointed at the Riolu. "Spike here knows Secret Power. He can unseal the entrance."

It took a moment for Absol to register what Lucario had said. "What?" He turned to Spike quickly for a second before looking back at the Aura Pokémon. "You gave him your TM?"

"No – he already knew the move when I met him. Believe me, I was as surprised as you were."

"Oh, really?" The dark-type surveyed Spike once more. "How did you come to learn the move?"

"I found it in the trash," Spike said in a small voice.

"Hmm… that's incredibly lucky," Absol replied, looking thoughtful. "In any case, I suppose that solves our problem. Eevee can lead Spike back to the cave, and Spike can open the entrance."

"Actually," Lucario began. "I don't want to impose on any of you… Absol, I'll be fine on my own. You can head back too."

Absol, it seemed, had already anticipated this – he was shaking his head before Lucario had finished talking. "You know, what with all the times you ask me to leave you be…" he said, in a good attempt at sounding dejected. "If I didn't know you better, I'd say you don't like my company anymore."

Lucario sputtered as he hurried to response. "I assure you that's not the case! I'm most certainly not trying to get rid of you! I just don't want to waste your time," he whispered, "seeing as I seem to be the only one who enjoys human-watching."

"Relax, I know," Absol reassured as he laughed. "I was just teasing you."

"I know you were just teasing, but it needs to be said. If you don't mind being in the sweltering heat, I would love to have you with me." He turned towards the apartment complex. "Though… actually, come to think of it, there may not be much to observe after all. If Ryan retreats back into his room, he'll probably just count the fan's rotations again."

Though he was aware Absol did not understand his last statement, Lucario pressed on without explaining. "I wonder if I should go to the hospital and see if I can help out instead…" Seeing Absol squirm slightly, Lucario quickly said, "Oh, right – perhaps I'll just save that for another day. Well," he said to Spike and Eevee, "you two can head on back to the forest then."

Eevee gave a curt nod, while the Riolu cast a quick glance at the Disaster Pokémon before doing the same. Both of them seemed pleased at the opportunity to leave. Lucario could understand Eevee feeling that way, what with the slight tension between them. Spike, however, was a different matter. Surely the Riolu was not still afraid of Absol?

"Once you have led Spike back to the mountain, feel free to head back home, Eevee," Lucario said. "But please do come and visit again."

"All right…"

Lucario gave Spike the coins he received as change from the café. The Eevee and Riolu then sauntered off into the distance, both of them seemingly uncomfortable and trying their best to avoid looking at each other. Absol shifted his gaze to the blue-furred Pokémon and gave a slight nudge.

"Right – now that we're alone, Luc, I've got a few questions for you."

"Hmm?" Lucario stared at Absol quizzically. Was this the reason why the Disaster Pokémon was so insistent that he stuck with Lucario?

"It's about Spike."

"What about him?" Lucario asked after a brief pause. It occurred to him that this was the first time he was left alone with Absol since Spike had arrived. Eevee had already asked some questions about the Riolu yesterday, but Lucario had yet to give Absol a proper explanation.

"I was just wondering what his story is. I mean, he said he would be heading back to Canalave after some time – so why did he come to Ferrous? Is he here on a vacation?"

Lucario shook his head. "I highly doubt that. Truth be told, I don't really know myself why he is here."

Absol's eyes went wide. "You don't? He… never told you?"

"I think it's something he doesn't really want to talk about." Lucario pondered for a second if he should divulge the information about Spike's parents, but figured he should keep it to himself for now. Besides, the Emanation Pokémon never said that his coming here was due to his parents' death.

"Okay…" Absol said slowly. "I actually asked him a few questions yesterday, when you were outside the cave talking to Eevee. Apparently, he's wild – and yet he came here by ship."

"Well, he was a stowaway. He wasn't the only one anyway; there was another stowaway in that ship as well, but a sailor came to their defence and prevented them from being booted off."

Absol narrowed his eyes, considering this for a moment. "He told you all that?"

"I saw the sailor with my own eyes," Lucario said, fully aware what Absol was insinuating. "The other stowaway has continued her journey with the sailor, while Spike chose to return to Canalave. Before he does that, however, he wants to stay here for the moment."

At this, Absol relaxed a little. "I see…"

Lucario smiled. "Spike's a good kid."

"I know he's a good kid," Absol said sheepishly. "Very nice and polite and all. I just thought there was something strange about him. I was wondering how he came by ship if he was wild, but you cleared that up. However, I'm not sure I buy his story of finding a TM in the trash."

"Well, even if he was wild, it wouldn't be so illogical if he did buy his own ticket; and it's certainly plausible that he found a treasure in the rubbish." Lucario pointed at himself. "I'm wild too, and I have some money and two boxes of Secret Power back in the cave."

"I guess I can't argue with that," the Disaster Pokémon said, though he still looked a little sceptical.

"I know you have your suspicions about Spike," Lucario continued, "and you are right – there is definitely something he is not telling us. Nonetheless, I'm confident his secret is not a malicious one. He's a good Pokémon – you should have seen him jump to his friend's aid yesterday when someone attempted to attack and kidnap his friend."

Lucario knew at once that he had said the wrong thing; Absol's eyes went wide as he quickly moved closer to examine the Aura Pokémon in full detail. "You see! I keep telling you, the world outside is a dangerous place – just one little excursion and you meet a thug – were you hurt?"

"No, Absol, I'm fine. The whole thing was rather silly, to be honest. The police nabbed the perpetrator in no time."

Absol stared at Lucario seriously. "Luc, Ferrous City is known for having a high crime rate. I know I may seem rather overprotective at times, but it is not without reason – Ellie alone is proof. I mean, if you can't trust the police – if you can't trust your own kin…"

"I know, Absol." He ruffled the fur on the dark-type's head. "But there are lots of good people and Pokémon in Ferrous too. It's not so bad."

"You're too friendly for your own good," Absol grumbled.

"I like to think that I'm a good judge of character." Lucario tugged at his scarf; the heat was getting uncomfortable. "After all, I can sense aura."

"It's not a foolproof way though, is it?" Absol asked. His tone was not cynical, but curious.

"Well, no," Lucario admitted. "How do I put this? It's like… well, let's just say that there are many 'layers', and a quick aura scan is not enough to get a clear picture of an individual's personality. I mean, sure, you get a brief idea, but human beings – and Pokémon – are much, much more complicated than that. Which is why I find human-watching to be so interesting – because I get to see how their minds work."

Absol chuckled. "Well, that's too bad. I suppose if your abilities were perfect, you could have joined the police force or something. You would be able to bust crime like no other."

"I imagine it would be really useful in many fields," said Lucario, nodding in agreement. "If only, right?"

As the Aura Pokémon fumbled with his scarf once more, Absol piped up. "Actually, if you want to _observe _that boy from earlier, why don't we head inside the apartment and sit in the lobby like last time? Or if you like, we could enter the café again; the air-conditioning is great."

"Good idea. Let's go with the latter; you could order something else while you wait."

Absol turned back to look at the café. "That's not necessary. I'll just look at the photos in the menu."

"Okay, but please don't hesitate to order if you see something you like."

As the two made their way to the café, Absol continued. "I find them very interesting. The menu photos, I mean," he added at Lucario's confused look. "Most of them are really impressive. They sure do take a lot of care when taking them."

"True; they are nice, aren't they?" Lucario pushed the door open and relished in the rush of cold air cooling him down. Nodding at the waitress from earlier, he led Absol towards an empty table in the far corner. "But what you see isn't always what you get. Chances are they don't put as much effort into making your food."

"That's to be expected, I suppose." Absol flipped open the menu that the waitress brought over. "Did you know that Celia once thought of opening a café of her own?"

Lucario peered from the top of his menu in interest. "Really? Why didn't she do it, then?"

"Several reasons, I think. For one, she would need a little capital. She also requires a location – she has converted her home to a bakery, since it's just a small business, but she would need someplace bigger for a café. Finally, she will need some extra help if she were to start a café."

"If it's help she needs… I wouldn't mind working for free," Lucario said, musing aloud. He stared around at the bustling staff and tried to imagine himself in their shoes. "Actually, that would be a rather good experience."

Absol shook his head. "That's nice of you, but she'll need more than one helper. There'll be plenty of work to be done."

"Well, she'll have Umbreon and you too, won't she? Will that be enough?"

"M–me?" Absol said in surprise. He paused for a moment, and Lucario had a sudden image of Absol with a bow-tie, carrying a tray in his mouth. The Disaster Pokémon laughed. "Somehow, I doubt that will work out. A–anyway, her bakery is doing all right at the moment, so I think she'll just focus on that…"

Lucario placed his menu down. "That's a pity… I think setting up a café is really a good idea." He could already imagine it; not only would it be a good place to work at, but it would also be an ideal place to hang out. "A café… hmm… I would like that…"

Before the fighting-type's imagination could go into overdrive, Absol broke into his thoughts. "I only brought it up as an idle topic… I didn't think you'd be this interested."

"Well… I was just thinking…" Lucario sighed, leaning forward on the table and staring intently at his friend. "I mean… we are wild Pokémon, but there's no denying the fact that we've been exposed to city life as well. We have a whole future ahead of us, but what are we going to spend it on?"

Absol blinked. "You're scaring me, Luc. I have no idea what you're trying to say."

"I remember you asking me once about settling down with a partner… Love-life aside, what will we do with ourselves in the future? Surely I can't just human-watch for the rest of my life without doing anything else…"

"Hmm…" Absol paused, looking thoughtful. "There's still the disaster that your father predicted though…"

"Yeah; I meant after that," Lucario said quickly. The disaster had crossed his mind. Though he was not sure if he would even survive, here he was, trying to carve a future with the assumption that he would make it after all… It was somehow more comforting that way. "Is there anything you always wanted to do, Absol? Any childhood dreams… ambitions… anything like that?"

"No, not really. And frankly speaking, I have never thought about the future much. I try not to think excessively on things like that." Absol hesitated, looking thoroughly confused. "Er… is this related to our topic about cafés?"

"Kind of. I was just wondering if I should find a job someday." Lucario laughed when Absol's jaw dropped at this statement. "It'll be a good way to pass the time – and to get some money as well.

"All right, I'm sorry, Absol," Lucario said quickly. "Let's stop talking about the future. I don't know what came over me – I was feeling a little unusual." He leaned back on the chair and paused. "I guess seeing Emily like that got me wondering about what I want to do with my life. It's quite depressing when you think about the fact that we're all going to die someday." He picked up his menu again. "Here, let's order something; I don't think they'd be too happy if we sat here without buying anything."

When Absol did not respond, Lucario looked up to see the dark-type staring at him, smiling. "Is anything the matter?" Lucario asked, slightly puzzled.

"Nothing… I was just pondering to myself…" Absol said slowly. "Perhaps human-watching has influenced your way of thinking after all. Wild Pokémon usually don't think too much of the future – certainly nothing career-wise, anyway. Most of them would be glad just to stick with their family… have enough food to get through the day…"

Lucario considered Absol's words for a moment. It was true… He had faced hardships in the past, but he had found a home quickly enough… Since then, life had been quite easy. With food, books, money, and all sorts of stuff that were made available to him, it could be said that he was quite spoiled, even. Could he even be considered a true wild Pokémon anymore?

Absol grinned. "You're turning into a human, Lucario."

"Well, I hope not," Lucario said, laughing. "Humans are nice, but I like being a Lucario."

The same waitress came to their table again, though she looked more at ease now. Lucario indicated that he wanted another set of toast before pressing the money in her palm. "I'm sure I'm not the only Pokémon who has ever thought about a career though. Take Umbreon, for instance – she is helping Celia out at the bakery, isn't she? And all those Chansey and Blissey at the Centre too…"

"Umbreon is only there because she is Celia's Pokémon. As for the ones in the Centre…" Absol paused, looking thoughtful. "I always thought they belonged to the nurses, but I'm not sure. But they're practically made for the job anyway… it's something they love to do. The thing is, it's nothing strange for a Pokémon to help out humans with their work, but if you're a wild…"

Lucario pointed at his scarf. "They needn't know that I'm wild."

"A prospective employer might want to see your human before they hire you though. After all, they wouldn't want to get into any legal trouble by employing a Pokémon without the approval of his trainer."

"Really now? That's kind of silly. Why must Pokémon obtain approval from their human before they can work?"

"I cannot say with absolute certainty that a law like this exists," Absol said. "But… imagine if you get that one person who threatens to sue because you 'forced' his or her Pokémon to work without prior approval. Nah, I think employers could do without all the hassle that would arise."

Lucario folded his arms and thought hard. "I suppose you're right. Perhaps I could just come clean to the boss and state outright that I'm a wild Pokémon."

Absol opened his mouth, but merely stared at Lucario without saying anything. "Wow…" he said at last, "you really are keen on getting a job, aren't you? If you really want one that bad, why not help Celia out at her bakery? I'm sure she would be glad to employ you."

Lucario rubbed his chin as he envisioned himself working at the bakery. "I wouldn't mind. For Celia though, I would gladly work for free. You know, that reminds me… when are you going to pay Umbreon a visit? Seriously – some friend you are – you haven't been to see her for months. I don't know why you refuse to accompany me when I drop by for the occasional bun or two."

"Wait a minute," Absol began indignantly. "Who said I haven't visited her? Just because you weren't with me…"

"Oh, I see." Lucario nodded knowingly, unable to stop himself from grinning. "You've been paying her visits by yourself. I guess you don't need me to be wheel number three…"

"Wait a minute," Absol repeated, looking flustered now. "Those were just short visits to ensure everything is fine over there – I didn't want to trouble you by having you come along –"

Lucario laughed, pushing the plate of toast towards the Disaster Pokémon. "You don't have to explain yourself." He took his menu and peered at his white-furred friend. "I'm just glad you still keep in touch with them. You should invite Umbreon over sometime to the cave – I could head out for a long stroll while you two chat, if you don't want me hanging around."

The Aura Pokémon grinned as he held the menu upright, drowning out Absol's sputters of protest as he closed his eyes and shifted his concentration back to Ryan. It had been an interesting tête-à-tête – it got him thinking about matters that he had not pondered before – but right now, he should not forget the reason he came back to this café in the first place.

That idiot, Ryan mentally chided as he watched a contestant, having outperformed the other competitors to reach the final stage, bomb on the last question. What a waste – it was practically a giveaway question too. The boy watched dully as the host, with that never-fading smile of his, thanked the live audience as well as the people at home for watching. Always the same routine. When the credits came up, Ryan turned the television off.

Staravia, as it would seem, was still sleeping. He called out to her once more, but she made no response. Ryan had the feeling that the bird was angry at him for some reason, though he was not too sure why. It was not as though he had done anything to offend her. In fact, when Emily brought the Pokémon – back then a Starly – home for the first time, the flying-type got along well with everyone in the family. Of course, everything was all right then.

But Staravia had changed.

_He _had changed.

See, this was why he preferred to lie in bed. Only then would he be able to keep these depressing thoughts from entering his mind. Ryan had to admit the game show had distracted him for a while, but everything was back to how it was before. It was all Zack's fault for breaking the monotony that he had been trying so hard to keep.

After one last look at Staravia, Ryan headed back to his room and slid onto his bed. In the process, he bumped into something, knocking it onto the ground with a light _thud_. He stretched out his hand to retrieve it, pulling the object back up. The boy stared at the hardcover diary; for a brief moment, he wondered how it got there. Then he remembered that he had placed it on his bed earlier.

He had actually found the diary a few days ago, when he was mindlessly wandering around the apartment. It belonged to Emily; he had seen her write in it a couple of times, though she was always extremely secretive about it. Realising this, he had made mock attempts at swiping it whenever she carried it with her, though it was all for fun. Ryan respected her privacy, even if he would never admit it. Still, he sometimes wondered what she had written in it…

After all, in this day and age, who still keeps a diary?

Lucario tightened his grip on the menu as his concentration wavered slightly due to the indignation that arose at Ryan's last thought. In the short period when his senses were back at the café, he saw Absol munching slowly on a piece of toast, looking thoughtful. Though curious as to what the Disaster Pokémon was pondering over, Lucario dived into Ryan's mind once more.

As Ryan stared blankly at the cover, he wondered how Emily could even come up with enough things to fill the diary with. He had kept a diary before, but it was very short-lived. There was simply nothing to write about – the first few entries he made were extremely short and repetitive. After a while, he couldn't be bothered about it anymore. Emily, it transpired, did not have this problem. How odd…

It would seem that Emily had attached additional sheets of paper to some of the pages, making the diary bulkier than it should be. Ryan squeezed the book, attempting to make it flat and even, but to no avail. His fingers lay on the edge of the cover as he vacillated. Should he read it or not?

Figuring that no harm could come out of it, Ryan turned the cover over and flipped through the first few pages which contained a pre-printed calendar as well as a map of Sinnoh, among other things. He noticed that Emily had scribbled a little on the map, though the words were miniscule and barely legible.

When he at last reached the first page which was filled with her writing, he noticed that she had not written anything about her daily activities. Instead, she had listed down all the major places located in Sinnoh, and for each location, she wrote what she would like to do when she travelled there.

Ryan took his time reading the activities Emily had planned for herself and her family. It surprised him. Though she had always expressed interest in visiting new places, he never thought her fascination was deep enough that she would construct a complete itinerary. Visiting the flower fields at Floraroma… exploring Amity Square… sightseeing at the Lakes of Sinnoh…

Well, she had covered most of the tourist attractions in Sinnoh, Ryan noted in amusement. Perhaps she found a pamphlet or something that piqued her interest. Flipping over a few pages, he discovered that she had written about places in other regions as well… The sudden realisation that she would never get to see these locations hit him like a ton of bricks.

Skipping over to the next section, he found that it was about her hobby of writing. He had heard about it before – Emily had expressed her desire of someday getting her writing published. He had told her to "dream on".

Ryan had never read anything Emily had written, though that was in part due to the fact that she never showed them to him in the first place. Despite his taunts, however, he supposed she had to be good. After all, she won that contest with her composition entitled 'Staravia and I'. By then, however, she had already been diagnosed with her disease. He could no longer bear to tease her, nor could he try to be supportive – he took the news very badly.

When he heard that 'Staravia and I' was based on herself – and that it had a bad ending – he refused to read it. He was not present the day when she read out her story to the school. He had explained his reasons to her, and she understood right away. Ryan was, then and now, unable to face reality. It quite broke his heart when she replied, with a sad smile on her face, "Me too."

In the diary, Emily had jotted down ideas she had had for future stories, some of them very brief while others completely fleshed out. Reading some of the ideas she had listed down, Ryan was suddenly reminded of the conversations he used to have with her about literature.

Ryan himself might not like writing much, but he had read his fair share of books. He often took what Emily called the "cynical approach" when it came to reading works of fiction – he would gladly point out flaws in the story, criticising clichés and scoffing at overly-happy endings, simply because life did not work that way. Emily was easier to please; she had criticised him for always overanalysing stories instead of "enjoying the ride", and claimed that she would enjoy any story as long as it had a good plot.

Reading some of the ideas she had written down in the diary, however, it was clear that she had actually paid attention to his mindless rambles… Emily had actually jotted down some notes on how _not _to write, listing down things to avoid – things which came up in the conversations they had.

Ryan stopped reading for a moment, reflecting on their relationship as siblings. Yes, they had plenty of arguments in the past, often teasing one another when the opportunity arose. But this was a clear sign that they were very close, was it not? So close was their bond that they no longer needed to say "please" or "thank you", or apologise over trivialities, since these are automatically conveyed without the need to put them into words.

They spent less time together ever since Ryan entered his final year in high school. Then, his workload increased, with the teachers giving homework and whatnot which just about ate up all his time. The situation only worsened when he started university; this could very well be a part of the reason why he had decided to drop out. If he had not been so focused on his education, perhaps he could have spent more time with his family.

On the other hand, Emily had found companionship from another source during those years in the form of Staravia. He was not too sure on how they met – apparently, Emily had befriended one of the many Starly that frequented her school. Deep down, Ryan wondered if the reason why he was not too chummy with Staravia was because of jealousy. He was envious of Staravia, for having taken over his role – and he was envious of Emily, for being able to be so carefree in handling her schoolwork whereas he tended to be consumed by stress.

Of course, that was before the disease manifested itself. Now, he was just glad that Staravia could provide his sister with the happiness she deserved. Even though it was only for a few years, it was undeniable that Staravia's presence had changed Emily's life for the better.

The stress he got from studying all the time was his fault anyway. Like many of his peers, he was only focused on achieving the best results, and the fact that there was always someone better greatly discouraged him.

Ryan broke out of his thoughts and turned to the next section in the diary, which contained some notes on playing the piano. Another of Emily's hobby. At this point, Ryan finally understood why she never ran out of things to write about.

The diary was just bursting with Emily's hopes and dreams, as well as all sorts of information about her hobbies.

When he was younger, Ryan had taken an interest in playing the piano. He would practice for a few hours each week, and Emily would occasionally sit close by and listen. He had influenced her; she would try and imitate his movements as she attempted to play some classical pieces. He could honestly say that she was terrible back then.

Emily never gave up. Her love for the piano grew, arguably rivalling his own. She would play for hours each day, finally stopping when neighbours started to complain of the noise.

It was then that she took to another hobby – composing new pieces. She would experiment with the piano once in a while, and if she came up with a pleasant melody, she would jot it down. Now and then, she would pester him to join along and create a song together. Song composition was something he had thought about before, but his patience for the piano dwindled as his priorities shifted to education instead, and he would refuse.

After her constant pleas, however, he caved in. After making her promise that she would leave him alone after that, he played a jingle he had come up by himself. He could still remember her eyes, wide with awe, at the end of his mini-performance.

"But that was amazing," she had said. "We've got to expand on that!"

Though quite pleased with her compliment, Ryan wanted no part in composing the full song. Emily then announced that she would do it herself, and when asked what he would like to name it, he had replied, "Something terrible. Absolutely repulsive." She then proceeded to tell him that he was an idiot.

Ryan turned to the next few pages, and found out why the diary was thicker than it should be. Emily had attached several pieces of sheet music between the pages. It appeared that they were compositions she had created herself… She had kept true to her promise and left him alone, but evidently, she had pursued her hobby by herself.

Perhaps someday, he could try playing these songs out.

After skimming through more sections about her many hobbies, he reached a page that gave him a sinking feeling. It was a page about her illness, and her thoughts about it.

Ryan closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands. He was not sure if he wanted to read that… Just by looking at the handwriting, he could tell that she was under a lot of strain when she wrote that section.

At last, steeling himself, he picked the diary up again and began to read. Emily had written about the symptoms that had plagued her before she knew about the disease, as well as her suspicions that something was terribly wrong, all up to the point when the doctor finally delivered the dreaded news. As Ryan read on, he realised that his own suspicions were true after all – Emily had been utterly devastated, more so than she would admit to anyone.

"_I am, of course, worried about the fate that awaits me. I know everyone dies in the end, but the possibility that I would go so early in my life was something I have never even contemplated before. I keep telling everyone that it is alright. I told Mum that Dad will be there to take care of me. I told Staravia that I will still be with her in spirit. I said that maybe I'll even be able to finally fly with her; something we used to wish was possible. I told everyone not to worry._

"_But deep down, I really wish this wouldn't have happened to me. Life is unfair, I know, but why must it be this cruel to me? Especially when I have such high hopes for the future, it is difficult to accept that I will never even get a chance to try and achieve my dreams. Forget that; I would be happy just to have a future. It gets all the more painful when there is nobody to talk to about this. It really hurts, but I cannot let it show. No one must know about this pain, for I don't want them to be any more worried than they already are. Writing about it here is the only way I can vent, but it does not really help._

"_Above all, I am worried about my family. I know they will be devastated when I'm gone, but I really hope they will pull through. There'll only be Mum and Ryan (and Staravia) left then. Ryan has become very quiet since the moment I got sick, but I think he will be fine. He has to be, for he will need to support the family in the future. _

"_I asked Staravia if she would like to be released back into the wild after my death, but she refused. I'm not sure if this was just because she couldn't accept the fact that I'm dying, or if she really wanted to stay, but perhaps it would be best if she continued living here. She will be able to support Ryan and Mum, and they will be able to support her back. I hope she will not be lonely after I am gone. Ryan never seemed to pay much attention to her, but I hope he'll be able to take over as Staravia's guardian. Perhaps it would be better if he got another Pokémon too, so that the house will be livelier._

"_It is too much to wish for a full recovery, but as long as they are able to lead happy lives, I will be content._"

Ryan exhaled deeply as he set the diary down, trying to suppress the sadness that was welling up within him. He was being silly. He had always known that, but Emily's words rang true – shutting himself away from the rest of the world would not help. He was making the situation worse by adding worry to his mother… and to Emily too, it would seem.

They were both afraid to face reality, but Emily had already done so, and it was time he did too.

He would change.

There were only a few written pages left in the diary – the rest were blank. These pages were filled with the things Emily had done most recently, although it still had been some time ago. There was a page about the story-writing competition that she had won – and she had attached the story she wrote as well, though Ryan still could not bring himself to read it. He turned to the last page that was filled with words.

"_As I grow weaker, I find myself unable to do even the simplest things. Soon, I won't be able to write anymore, which is why this will be my last entry in this diary. I have written about many things that I would like to have done in this lifetime, and I am fully aware that I will not be able to accomplish them all. But that is fine._

"_After all, I have done some things which I am proud of. I've gone to many places, and I've met many great people. I won the composition contest and read out 'Staravia and I', and I played 'Star' at the year-end school performance, so I have fulfilled my wish of showing both pieces to the world. _

"_I have enjoyed life._

"_I really did. I will not conclude this diary with a 'farewell', just like how I have not uttered that word to anyone else. A part of me still clings on to the hope that I will keep on waking up to many tomorrows, even though I know it is highly unlikely. If, through some kind of miracle, I am able to recover, I promise to come back and fill in the remaining pages of this diary. If._

"_If not, then so be it._

"_Whatever happens, I only hope that, somehow, I will get to meet everyone again._"

Ryan reread the last few paragraphs several times, wishing he could have the opportunity to talk with his sister again. Nonetheless, reading the diary, it was as though Emily _had _indeed been speaking to him, and she had made him come to his senses.

He got up and placed the diary on his desk. After staring blankly at the cover for a moment, Ryan snapped out of his trance as his eyes moved towards the pile of books he had placed below the table. Those were the textbooks that he had been meaning to toss out… guess he wouldn't be doing that anymore.

Ryan carried the entire stack up to his desk and brushed aside the dust covering the books. As he began to rearrange them, he accidentally knocked Emily's diary to the ground. That was the second time he had dropped it – he couldn't help but smile as he pictured Emily's reaction should she hear about how he had been mishandling her personal stuff.

Bending down to retrieve it, he saw that a couple of music scores had come loose. Ryan was about to push them back into the diary when he saw that one of them was titled 'Star'. Emily had mentioned that in one of the final paragraphs… apparently, she had played it at the year-end performance. He could understand how much 'Staravia and I' meant to her, seeing as it was a story dedicated to her Pokémon friend. Why, then, was she glad to have performed 'Star' at school? What significance could the song possi—

Oh. He saw it now. Star. Staravia. Of course.

Nonetheless, he was curious as though what the song actually sounded like. Ryan picked the sheet music up and stared at it, trying to mentally play the song, but to no avail. He would have to play it out with the piano. It had been a while, but perhaps he still had enough in him to pull it off…

The sound of someone entering the apartment broke Ryan out of his reverie. "Ryan?" came a voice from outside, and he recognised it as his mother right away. Wondering if anything was the matter, he quickly rushed out.

Mrs. Flaherty looked stunned to see him out of his room, but she looked relieved. "There you are. I asked a couple of Pokémon to deliver your lunch to you. Did you get it?"

"Yeah, I already finished it." He placed his hands into his pockets, stashing the sheet music in one of them. "How about you? Have you had your lunch?"

Mrs. Flaherty did not bother to hide her surprise at his question. "Oh… yes, I had mine at the hospital."

"How's Emily?"

She shook her head sadly. "Still the same. Well… I just came back to check if everything is all right. If there's nothing else, I think I'll head back to the hospital."

"What? You just came back – surely you can rest here for a while…"

"There's no need for that. It'll give me a better peace of mind if I stayed by her side."

"Okay…" He glanced around the room. Staravia had woken up and was staring at his mother, perhaps thinking that she had come to deliver news on Emily. "Well, everything is fine here."

"Good." She walked towards the door. "I think I'll head downstairs to buy your dinner. I'll drop it off here before heading back to Emily."

"Mum!" he called out just as she opened the door. She turned around. "There's no need for that… I'll go and buy it myself later." He nodded towards the Starling Pokémon, who was now looking at him oddly. "I'll get Staravia's too."

Mrs. Flaherty looked as though she could not believe her ears. She stared at him in concern. "Are you sure, Ryan?"

He nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah. You don't have to buy my food from now on – I can do it myself. And… well…" He shifted his feet uncomfortably. "I think I'll attend my classes tomorrow, so I won't be home then."

A smile broke on her face. "Ryan… I'm glad to hear that…"

"Yeah… I'm glad too. I'll go straight to the hospital after the lessons. It's been a while since I last visited Emily, after all."

"All right," she said, nodding. "We'll be waiting for you."

"You're spending the night there again?" Ryan asked.

She paused for a moment before saying, "I'm not sure. I'll call you later. You'll be here, right?"

"I'm not going anywhere, except to buy my dinner. That'll only be a short while though."

"All right." Mrs. Flaherty walked out of the front door, looking happier than she had been in days. "I'll be off, then."

"Okay. See you, Mum."

Despite his aloof tone, Ryan, too, felt better after the brief talk with his mother. He had turned to isolating himself in the hopes that he would forget all about the depressing condition Emily was in, but he had to admit the prolonged silence sometimes depressed him further. Perhaps now things would change for the better…

Ryan pulled out the sheet music from his pocket and walked towards the piano. Like almost everything else in the house, the piano had gathered a fair bit of dust, but Ryan did not mind. He placed the sheet on his lap and began to play.

He had a couple of false starts, but Ryan soon got into the flow. He managed to play smoothly, albeit at a slightly slow pace as he got used to the keys and positioning again. After a while, he noticed that Staravia was standing by his foot, looking up at him with wide eyes.

He picked the bird up and placed her on the seat besides him. "Bet you recognise the song, don't you, Staravia…" He began to play the song over from the start. "It's your song after all…"

Ryan wondered if he had ever heard Emily playing this particular piece. Most of the time, he never really paid attention whenever she played – he would usually tune out of the music and focus on whatever he was doing. "I'm sure Emily has played this song to you plenty of times…"

He was playing better now, and he could finally get a clear idea of what the song sounded like. It was a sweet song… of course it was sweet… She made it. Anything she made would be sweet. The song had a nice tune to it. He was positive it would get stuck in his head for days. For months. Years. He would make sure of it.

It was when he reached the middle of the song that he began to realise something. The middle bit sounded familiar… Perhaps he had heard her playing this song after all? He replayed the portion again, and again. Staravia stared at him in surprise, probably wondering what was wrong.

Then it hit him. This was the tune he had played for her back then. Slightly modified, but otherwise, there was no mistaking it. She had inserted that tune into her song… or rather, had she created the _rest_ of the song to fit that tune?

He replayed the tune again. He had thought this was a song dedicated to Staravia… after all, it was named 'Star', was it not?

Star…

His fingers froze.

Star.

S – T – A – R.

"_Something terrible. Absolutely repulsive._"

It was a coincidence. It had to be. He wanted it to be, and yet he didn't. Ryan pounded on the keys as he tried to continue with the rest of the song, but tears were beginning to cloud his eyes, and he couldn't really concentrate anymore. It must be a coincidence, and nothing more. There was no way she would remember – no way would she think it meaningful enough to name the song based on that casual remark.

Coincidence, he thought furiously as he attempted to regain a hold of himself. It did not work.

As he broke into sobs, Staravia got up to her feet, confused and at a loss of what to do. Rather awkwardly, she raised a wing and began to pat the boy's back. The sheet music slid off his lap and landed in the spot of sunshine shining in through the open window.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

_Absol and Eevee were understandably surprised at the appearance of Spike. Around them, the enthusiastic, rambunctious Riolu seems to change into an insecure Emanation Pokémon though, which kind of makes me wonder which is the real him. Absol and Eevee have their doubts, but I am certain Spike is a good Riolu, despite the fact that he is clearly hiding something._

Lucario moved through the small crowd as inconspicuously as he could. He felt that he should keep a distance. After all, he didn't really have a place here. He had no real connection to the Flaherty family.

_Unfortunately, I managed to get into another disagreement with Eevee, this time about the true intentions behind my hobby of human-watching. She seemed to think that I only craved entertainment. I was quick to defend myself, but now I am beginning to think that she has a point. I really do hope that I am better than that._

From afar, he saw a group of students huddled together, talking quietly among themselves. Some of them looked awkward, but all of them were genuinely sad. He could feel it. Gordon, the discipline teacher, walked towards them and urged them to keep their voices down.

_Absol mentioned in passing that Celia had wanted to set up a café of her own. I thought it was a brilliant idea. If she ended up doing so, I would love nothing more than to work there. Absol thought it strange that I would think of work, but I believe I am no longer a 'pure' wild Pokémon. For starters, since I spend so much time in the city, I am bound to be in need of money. What will I do if I exhaust all the cash that my father has left for me?_

_And secondly, I have been thinking about my future. Human-watching is a good way to pass the time, but I do not want it to be the only thing I do for the rest of my life. I should probably start thinking about what my ambition is._

Ryan and Mrs. Flaherty were there too, of course. Staravia was perched on Ryan's shoulder, but she looked very sick. The woman was sobbing into her hands, with the boy trying to console her despite looking as though he was on the verge of breaking down himself.

_Perhaps I am getting a little sentimental after watching Emily and her family. I have seen her before – she won the story-writing contest back then, when Eevee and I were having our bet. Her condition has really deteriorated since then. I really regret not hearing fully the story she wrote as she read it out in the ceremony._

_Her brother, Ryan, tried to cope with the stress by locking himself up in the room. He even wanted to drop out of university. From what I gathered, he seems to have put a lot of effort into his education; to be willing to toss it all away like this is a clear indication of how badly this ordeal is affecting him. Fortunately, he changed his mind after reading Emily's diary._

Everyone quietened down to listen as a few speecheswere given. From where he was standing, the Aura Pokémon was unable to hear them. However, given the occasion, he felt it would be rude to dive into someone's mind just to listen to the speech – even if no one would find out.

_I guess it can be said that the diary is a symbol of life. Emily filled it with the many things she wanted to do, including travel, writing, and piano playing. Her illness hampered her plans, but she managed to accomplish a good deal anyway. It is quite heart-wrenching to know that, despite the disease having affected her a lot more than she letting on, she has been putting on an optimistic front so as to not worry the others. She has handled it bravely. I wish their family nothing but the best._

_What about my diary? I have filled it with tales of my human-watching adventures, and a little bit of my random musings as well. If it is to be a reflection of my life and identity, perhaps it is time I do a little more with it. I ought to think about this, just like how I ought to think about what I want to do with my life._

The process of lowering the coffin into the ground may be brief, but it seemed to be leaving a big impact on everyone present. Some of the students were crying now, and some were hugging each other. Gordon and Harris – the school guard – were standing close by to Mrs. Flaherty, both of them looking unsettled. Mrs. Flaherty seemed to be too overwhelmed by grief to even cry anymore. Ryan had to hold back Staravia, who seemed to be trying her best to dive into the ground so as to be with her friend.

Lucario placed a paw on his chest and gave a deep bow. When the coffin had finally been laid in place, he stood upright and cast one last glance at the scene before running off into the distance.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Next time, on I Am Lucario…

"_Do you want to know, Lucario, the reason why I have always hated you?_"

Since I'm on holiday right now, and since I've been waiting to do Chapter 15 for ages, it'll probably be completed faster than this chapter. See you really soon, I hope!


	15. Shadows Taller Than Me

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon.

The last update was on May 15th, and it is now July 19th. Hey, not bad! Admittedly I was hoping to get this done much faster than that, but still. As always, thank you to everyone who've read / reviewed / added this to favourites or alerts! It's a **double-length **chapter this time.

I have three announcements, the first one being that 'Ashita Inn' from Chapter 3 has been changed to 'Tomorrow Inn'. Secondly, there will be **two **Pokémon from Unova appearing in Chapter 17, and they will have major roles in the story. Personally, I'm not used to the Unova Pokémon yet (I keep forgetting their names), so I'm not sure if a lot of them will be appearing in future chapters.

Thirdly, as always, I have sent review replies to registered users (with PM enabled) via private messages. However, shortly after Chapter 14 was uploaded, the site has changed their PM system, and I heard some people lost their old messages. So, if you didn't receive my reply, please tell me, and I'll resend it to you.

In response to **Mei Fire**; the full reply was sent via PM, but I'll post a small portion here just in case it failed to deliver. Regarding "Something terrible. Absolutely repulsive" in the previous chapter, just check the first letter of each word in that sentence, and you'll find out how the song got its name. Thanks very much once again!

In response to **Maom stripes**; I know the feeling very well. I have another story in which the last update was… let's see… three and a half years ago. Then again, I intend to delete that story. Thanks very much for reading and reviewing, and good luck with the PMD series if you're still working on it!

In response to **Waypoint**; it's always a huge honour for me whenever someone said they've teared up reading my stories. Thank you very much! And yes, you've got it; I imagine the network Lucario's building will really be useful when the disaster strikes. There isn't much of Spike in this chapter, unfortunately, but there'll probably be more of him in the coming chapters.

In response to **Solyeuse**; haha, that's exactly what I was thinking! After failing to meet countless deadlines I've set for myself, I daren't make promises anymore. Hence the usage of an ambiguous word like 'faster'. Thank you very much!

In response to **Penny ToughGirl**; oh, thank you very much for the compliments, and for all the reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. Yes indeed, each chapter usually focuses on a different character, though I'm hoping to break that format once in a while. You've made some really good guesses there, and I think you'll find out if they're true or not in this chapter. ;)

In response to **Arrassia**; thanks very much for reading and reviewing! I've encountered some problems writing this chapter (as usual), but hopefully it's worth the wait!

I hope I did not forget to reply to anyone. Please feel free to bash me on the head if I did.

**Edit** – I've fixed a typo as well as reworded a paragraph. Special thanks to **fractalman **and **destinypokemon**!

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"All right, here I go!" Lucario yelled before lobbing the baseball upwards. The moment it left his paw, he summoned his bone staff in one swift motion. As the ball descended back towards him, he swung the staff as hard as he could, creating a satisfying _thwack_ as it was launched far into the distance where his friends stood in wait.

Spike ran backwards with his paws outstretched, his focus completely on the ball. "I got it! I got it!"

"W–wait a minute – I'm right behind –!" Absol had no time to finish his sentence as the Riolu promptly collided with the dark-type, causing the both of them to tumble onto the ground.

Lucario smiled to himself as he shifted his gaze over to Eevee instead – she was running lackadaisically in the general direction of the ball, though her heart was clearly not in the game. In fact, she was barely participating at all, seemingly doing her best to act nonexistent instead of capturing the target.

Like the Evolution Pokémon, Umbreon did not appear to care much about the match, though she was doing tremendously well for someone who merely trotted lazily towards the ball each round. She was currently closest to the target and could easily capture it if she broke into a sprint, but she was apparently more concerned with conserving her energy. Lucario could hardly blame her though – he knew she disliked the heat, and it was quite a hot day, as had been the norm lately.

"Heh." Seeing the Riolu and Absol struggling to recover from their tumble while Eevee and Umbreon took their time with the chase, the Infernape seemed pretty confident that he had it in the bag. Sprinting forward and somersaulting over Umbreon, he managed to nab the ball while it was still in midair. Flaze held up his prize, grinning as he looked around at the others. "Game, set, match! Sorry, everyone. Better luck next time."

Lucario ran forward to rejoin the group. Though he wished he could participate in the game – he had, after all, finally gotten his bandage removed – they had no bat, and he was the only Pokémon capable of summoning one in the form of Bone Rush. Still, it was fun watching all the chaos ensue because of a ball. "Well done, Flaze! That was fantastic! No one even came close to your score!"

"Thank you, thank you," he said, giving a rather dramatic bow. He lobbed the ball over to Lucario. "Good job batting the ball yourself."

"Ha, you're joking. The number of times I missed…" Lucario shook his head. "Let's just say I won't be a professional anytime soon."

The fire-type shrugged, grinning lazily. "If only we knew the proper rules for baseball, we could practise and someday form our own team."

Lucario chuckled just as Spike and Absol lumbered over, their fur a total mess. "That would be great, but I think we need more members first. Well, Spike, you did a great job as well – tied with Umbreon for second place!" He ruffled the top of the Riolu's head. "You pulled off some pretty unusual moves there."

Absol smiled. "Including using me as a springboard."

Spike scratched his head sheepishly. "Er… sorry about that. I kinda acted without thinking then."

"It's nothing to worry about. Things are bound to get rough in games like this."

"Yeah, I suppose," Spike said, grinning appreciatively. "I must say, that was fun! It's not often I get to play games with other Pokémon like that!"

"Same here, actually." Lucario stared at the baseball thoughtfully. "I've… actually never played with such a big group before."

The Riolu looked at him in surprise. "Really? But you're a wild Pokémon! You have all the time in the world to play!"

"Time isn't the issue here…" Lucario considered Spike for a moment. "But you're a wild Pokémon too."

"No, my situation is different; there weren't many wild Pokémon to play with where I used to live. Your forest is just brimming with them though." Spike stared at the Aura Pokémon intently. "I'm just surprised you don't hang out with them or anything. Come to think of it, throughout the whole week that I've been here, you spent most of your time in the city and in the cave."

"Oh, I guess you have a point…" Lucario pulled Absol closer and placed his arms over the dark-type. "Usually, it's just Absol and me. I suppose I should start socialising more with the Pokémon in the forest."

Absol eyed Lucario, amused. "Hmm. I am so sorry I'm not good enough."

"Apology accepted," Lucario replied with a laugh, playfully shoving the Disaster Pokémon away as Umbreon and Eevee trudged towards them, the Evolution Pokémon looking tentative. She alone out of the whole group did not catch the ball even once, and it was definitely due to the lack of trying. "Did you have fun too, Eevee?"

Eevee gave a tiny nod. "Yeah… sure…"

The fighting-type did not his need aura abilities to know that she was lying. Still, he didn't see it wise to probe further – not with everyone watching. "Well, now that the game is over, let's find some shade and have a snack."

"I second that," Umbreon said, her ears perking up at the mention of the word 'shade'.

"Heh, okay." The Infernape pointed to a large tree by the lake. The sun had emerged from behind the clouds again – the heat might explain why the park was not as crowded as when Lucario had first dropped by, though it did not deter the group from having their fun. "I'm not really sure the food I brought can be called a _snack_ though. Not even sure if it's edible."

Lucario walked over to the basket they had placed safely at the side earlier. "Don't worry; I'm sure it'll turn out great. I must say I was quite surprised to hear that you _made _them. I didn't know you could cook."

"Oh, no, I wouldn't exactly call this '_cooking'_ per se. Zack always said I'm more likely to burn down the kitchen." Flaze guffawed, taking the basket from Lucario. "I'm sure you remember the burnt laundry back then. It's in my name, after all; a portmanteau of 'flame' and 'blaze'. Thank goodness it wasn't the other way round, or you'd be talking to an Infernape named 'Blame'." He paused for a moment, grinning. "He _almost_ gave me that name – thought it was funny – but he changed his mind when I was done with him."

"Names are important," Spike said, nodding wisely as they walked towards the tree. "I once met a Pokémon who was given a funny name by her trainer. She used to get teased about it, but they soon learnt not to cross her."

"Let me guess," Lucario said, sitting down and leaning his back against the trunk. "You were one of those who taunted her, Spike?"

"Me? No way! I'm a good boy!"

"So, to the four Pokémon who are named after their own species," Flaze said, addressing Lucario, Absol, Eevee, and Umbreon while removing some packages from the basket. "What alternative name would you give yourself, if you were to do so?"

"I was given a name once," Absol said. Lucario and Umbreon exchanged looks as he continued, "But I don't use it anymore. Just 'Absol' is fine, unless another one of my species turns up." He nudged Lucario light-heartedly. "If that ever happens, I hope you'll remember that I'm the original."

"Sure thing. If ever a whole pack of Absol appears with everyone having the same name, I'll just assign numbers. You can be Absol number one."

"Thank you. I'll do the same if the place is suddenly overrun with Lucario."

The Aura Pokémon chuckled as he accepted a neatly-wrapped sandwich from Flaze. "Somehow, I doubt we'll ever need to worry about either scenario happening. But yeah, I'm with Absol. Just 'Lucario' will suffice."

Umbreon stretched, the yellow rings around her body glowing dimly. "I cannot imagine myself going by any other name."

All eyes then turned to Eevee, who took a step backwards automatically. "Um… Same here."

Flaze snorted, unwrapping the plastic film on his sandwich. "You are all so boring. It was a hypothetical question; I wasn't asking you to change your names on the spot."

"I can't really think of any name I would like to go by though," Lucario said. "Absol has given me a nickname, but it's just 'Luc', a shortened form of my name. Oh, wait – I keep forgetting – Eevee has a nickname for me too!"

The brown-furred Pokémon startled, looking horror-struck. She quickly shook her head before Lucario could elaborate. Not noticing this, Flaze stared at the fighting-type enquiringly. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Er… never mind; it's just another shortened version of my full name." His response drew a questioning look from Absol, but he merely shrugged in reply.

Flaze yawned. "Maybe someday I'll give you a nickname too. Can't think of anything at the moment."

Lucario peeled the thin film off his own sandwich, uncomfortably aware of the embarrassment emanating from Eevee. Spike, too, was eyeing the brown-furred Pokémon curiously, his aura receptors giving the occasional twitch. The Riolu had already finished half of his sandwich.

"I hope it's okay?" Flaze asked, and Lucario was astonished to detect faint traces of nervousness from the Infernape.

"Yeah, it's great!" Spike replied cheerily, his mouth still slightly full.

"That's a relief!" Flaze bit onto his own sandwich, looking pleased. "But of course, I didn't really do much. It's a sandwich. The ingredients were there – I just assembled them. I hope I didn't get some fur on it…"

At this, Spike coughed, stopping mid-chew to peer closely at his food. Lucario played with the plastic film for a while before putting it aside to look at his own. Flaze had filled in a number of ingredients between two slices of buttered bread. He could make out – among others – several berries, mashed egg, and some sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.

Lucario tried his best to take a bite without dropping anything, but he failed to prevent some of the contents from falling off. Still, he managed to cram a small portion of the sandwich into his mouth. He could barely taste the bread – it felt as though he was eating a random mixture of food instead. It wasn't that he hated the ingredients used; there were just too many, and they didn't go well together.

"It certainly is unlike anything I've ever tasted," Lucario commented. Looking around, he saw that Absol had taken his sandwich apart, eating the various ingredients one at a time instead. It was probably for the better. Eevee was nibbling on the bread slowly, whereas Umbreon was examining hers in amusement.

"A sandwich is great for customisation," Flaze said as he took a bite. "It's fun trying out all sorts of combinations. Me, I like piling on as many ingredients as I could get my hands on."

"I… I see…" Staring at his food, Lucario thought back to his idea of working at a café. What with the many possible combinations available, the sandwich would make for a good addition to the menu. Of course, it wouldn't be up to him what got sold unless it was _he_ who owned the establishment…

"But of course, there's no way I can compare to our culinary expert," Flaze said, nodding towards the Moonlight Pokémon. "I had no idea you were friends with someone from a bakery," he told Lucario.

"Oh, I wouldn't dare to call myself an expert," Umbreon said. "I just lend a paw every now and then. Please do help yourself to the pastries I brought from the shop, and remember to drop by our store sometimes if they're to your fancy."

Absol shoved her lightly. "Shameless advertising, hmm, Umbreon?"

"Like I said –" She poked him back "– I assist in any way I can. Come help, Absol. I'm sure we can create a cardboard sign for you to wear around your neck. You can walk about the city to promote the bakery."

Absol nodded. "Brilliant idea, having a Pokémon of disaster endorsing your business. I'm sure that will bring in the customers in hordes."

Lucario leaned back on the tree as the two continued their conversation. He began to mimic Absol by picking the sandwich apart. Lazy days like this made him glad to be alive and free. The Aura Pokémon basked in the relaxing waves with a content smile. The park was a good place to be, what with mostly everyone around emanating positive vibes. In fact, there seemed to be only a single entity marring the pleasant air with feelings of anxiousness and frustration.

Strangely, it wasn't Eevee. Lucario looked for the source half-heartedly – he had promised himself beforehand that he would not human-watch today, even if he found someone who roused his interest. However, he gave a start when he realised that, on the far side of the lake, a Jolteon was watching them tensely. The Lightning Pokémon bore a somewhat similar aura signature with Eevee's, and there was no doubt in Lucario's mind that this was her brother.

Before he could notify Eevee of this, the Jolteon jumped, apparently realising that he had been spotted. Their eyes locked for a moment, and then he sped off without warning. "Wait!" Lucario yelled out, startling everyone around him.

"What is it, Lucario?" Absol asked, concerned.

"Oh – I'm sorry for yelling out of the blue," Lucario said. He turned to Eevee. "I saw your brother, Eevee. He was just over there, but I think he left."

"Jolteon?" Absol uttered in surprise.

Lucario stared at his roommate. "I wasn't aware you knew about him."

Before the dark-type could reply, Eevee interjected with a sigh. "Again?" she muttered, more to herself than to anyone else. She stood up. "Excuse me… I'll see if I can catch up with him."

Lucario hesitated as he watched Eevee strode off, her tail pointing stiffly straight up. "What did she mean by 'again'?"

Absol shrugged lightly, walking closer to Lucario's side. "Probably referring to the time when he popped up at the hospital. I never told you about that, Luc, but Jolteon appeared back when you and Spike went in with that guard. I think they had a brief argument."

"They did?" The Aura Pokémon thought back to when he and Spike left Emily's room to rejoin Absol and Eevee. They were at the parking lot, and Eevee had seemed upset. He had thought the brown-furred Pokémon was distressed with him over their small row, but perhaps she was distraught over Jolteon after all… In spite of himself, Lucario felt his heart lighten.

He stood up. "I think I'll go with her. You guys have fun; I'll be back in a while."

Flaze gave a lazy wave. "All right. See you when you're back!"

Lucario nodded and sprinted off towards Eevee. He could feel Jolteon's earlier frustration mirrored in the waves she was radiating, though he was unable to detect the electric-type's presence any longer. "Eevee, wait up!"

She turned around, surprised that he had followed. "Lucario, why are you here?"

"I… well, I wanted to check on you," he finished lamely. "Also… I think your brother is far gone by now. I can't sense him anymore."

She sighed again. "I need to give him a good talking-to. He's been getting more and more annoying as of late."

"Why?"

Eevee contemplated Lucario briefly before shaking her head. "Sorry, but I'm not comfortable discussing it. It's my own problem… you don't need to worry about it."

"If it's something I can help with…"

"It isn't," Eevee said firmly. "It's not a big deal anyway. Let's just head back… I'll catch him some other time…"

"All right then…"

She gazed downwards, avoiding his eyes. "On behalf of my brother, I apologise for the commotion caused."

"Don't be silly, Eevee…" He smiled as Eevee looked up at him again. "There wasn't any commotion at all. If anything, I'm the one who caused a ruckus. Jolteon ran away when he realised I saw him – and I guess I shouldn't have yelled out abruptly either."

Her ears perked up; his words seemed to have reminded her of something. "Oh yeah. Why on Earth did you ask him to wait? You should've just let him go, Lucario."

Lucario was taken aback at the exasperation in her tone. "Come on, Eevee… I'm pretty sure he came all the way to see you. I'm not sure why you're mad at him, but surely this could only mean he's trying to reconcile…"

"He has an interesting way of showing it then," Eevee said with a grunt. "He's been at it for a few months now. Explain, explain, explain – then some sort of backhanded apology – and then he gets mad when I don't accept it. I'm tired of it."

"A few months? What has he done to make you harbour a grudge for this long?"

"Never you mind," Eevee said idly as she brushed past Lucario, slowly walking back to the tree where everyone was. "Jolteon… Shinx… they're all the same. Insincere."

Lucario followed behind silently, not quite knowing what to say. He mulled over her words, watching as Eevee's tail swept the ground behind her. 'A few months', she had said, but that was very vague. When exactly was that? He recalled her parents mentioning that she seemed worried about something for the past few months as well. He had also not met her during that time period – just what had she been up to then?

"Eevee," he said suddenly. She turned around, shielding her eyes as the sunlight beamed down on her. "Does this have anything to do with the time we pulled some pranks on the forest Pokémon?"

The Evolution Pokémon bit her lip, looking conflicted. "Why would you think that, Lucario?"

"I don't know, Eevee, but I get the feeling that something big happened that day – something which left a big impact on you for months."

Her tail shot straight upwards as she contemplated Lucario silently. "I… Lucario, I'm not… I'm not sure if I want to discuss the events of that day… To be honest, I'm trying to forget about it, for more reasons than one. I know I –"

She stopped abruptly, her eyes widening as she gazed past Lucario. Stunned, Lucario whirled around quickly, wondering what it was that had shocked Eevee so. There were a few people and Pokémon about, but the Aura Pokémon could spot nothing out of the ordinary.

Eevee dashed closer to Lucario and hid in his shadow. "Quick, hide me!"

"But Eevee, what are you hiding from?"

She raised a shaky paw. "Him…"

Lucario turned around once more, directing his gaze to where she was pointing. This time, he saw it right away – a boy was walking around the lake aimlessly, occasionally kicking a stone into the water. It had been a very long time since the fighting-type had last seen him, but of course Eevee would have recognised the child right away. After all, Greg used to be her human partner.

The boy strode along with his hands behind his back, looking distressed. He did not seem to realise that he was within close proximity of his former Pokémon partner; his head was tilted downwards, and he appeared to be absorbed in his own thoughts. Lucario turned back to the brown-furred Pokémon. "Eevee… There's no reason to be afraid of him… You used to live in his home after all. He probably misses you – don't you want to go and say 'hi'?"

Her eyes widened further as she looked up at Lucario, appalled at his suggestion. "No way!"

"But you –"

"No, please don't even try to persuade me otherwise, Lucario." She stared at the fighting-type fiercely. "The brat and I… our ties have been severed the instant I broke the Poké Ball."

There was a moment of silence between them. "Are you really sure, Eevee?"

She nodded without hesitation. "Beyond the shadow of a doubt."

Lucario spun around once more, his eyes following Greg as the boy walked off towards another section of the park. Eevee heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry, Lucario, but I think it's better if I head back to the forest…"

"But… he's already gone…"

"Yes, but he's still in the vicinity. And, anyway, it wouldn't really make a difference if I'm not here… You'll probably have more fun without me. I'm just a stick in the mud."

"That's not true; I don't think of you as a stick at all. I did notice you weren't really enjoying yourself though. Is something wrong, Eevee?"

The Evolution Pokémon grinned as she stepped out of his shadow. "See, if even someone like you realised, then it must have meant I was pretty obvious about it."

"Hey!" Lucario protested indignantly, though he couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, don't forget I'm a Lucario. I can sense emotions. Spike probably felt it as well."

At that, Eevee glanced over at the Riolu, who was now chatting animatedly with Flaze. She seemed a little uncomfortable at the thought that Spike could detect her feelings too. "It's not that I wasn't having fun – it's just… I don't know, Lucario. I feel kind of awkward, hanging out with everyone."

Lucario gave an understanding smile. "I have realised, Eevee, that you are pretty much alone every time I see you. It might feel a little strange to be in the company of a large group if you're not used to it – just give it some time and you will fit in just fine."

"I suppose you're right…" She gazed distantly at the general location where Greg was headed to.

"But hey, you get along swimmingly with Umbreon, right? Why don't you have a nice long chat with her?"

"Oh, no," she said, turning around to watch as Umbreon abandoned her meal to chase Absol playfully. "She seems to be good friends with Absol… I don't want to get in their way. Spike and the Infernape appear to have bonded as well…"

Lucario chuckled. "That leaves the two of us then. How about a chat with me? I've got a few questions I would like to ask."

"Hmm… you make it sound like you'll put me through a police interrogation," she said suspiciously. "Another time, perhaps… I think I would still like to go back for now. Thanks for inviting me today," she added.

"All right, I understand," Lucario said. "Thanks for coming. I'll see you another day then?"

"Yeah, okay." The prospect of heading home seemed to have brought relief to Eevee. "Let's get back to the others then; I'll just tell them I'm leaving, while you can return to your food."

Lucario hesitated. He could still detect Greg's presence nearby, even though the boy was no longer in his field of vision. "You go on ahead, Eevee. I'll head back in a moment."

Her tail fell limply to the side as she eyeballed him. "You're going to human-watch the brat, aren't you?"

"No, no," Lucario said hurriedly. "I just wanted to check on him, that's all. He seemed quite moody."

Eevee shrugged. "Well, it's none of my business if you want to human-watch – it really doesn't matter to me either way. Go ahead if you really want to."

"No, I just want to make sure he's all right." When Eevee looked at him sceptically, he placed a paw on his chest. "Honest."

"Suit yourself. Bye then, Lucario."

Lucario raised a paw to wave. "See you, Eevee."

The Aura Pokémon watched for a while as Eevee sauntered off by herself. Then, he closed his eyes, his aura receptors rising slightly as he tried to see what was on Greg's mind.

Greg leaned against a tree, brushing off a leaf that had fallen on his head. He closed his eyes, inhaling the fresh air as he listened to the twittering cries of Starly nearby. He liked the park – it was a very relaxing place to be. He used to pester his father into bringing him here all the time, but it was rare for his father to accede to his request.

Today, he was here alone – again.

However, fretting over his father not spending time with him was a thing of the past. Nowadays, Greg was just worried about his father. At times, his father would space out, looking troubled over something. Once in a while, he would pour some attention on Greg – but instead of making him happy, this worried Greg more. Something was bothering his father, but he was unable to find out just what.

But the bombshell came just two days ago.

They were watching television silently on the couch. Greg kept stealing glances at his father, who was clearly not paying attention to the show at all. Suddenly, his father posed a question during the commercials. "Greg… would you like it if we move elsewhere, just for a little while?"

Judging by the tone of his father's voice, Greg knew that 'a little while' meant 'a really long time' – and that his opinion would not matter anyway. The show came back on, but he kept his eyes on his father. Mr. Cooper was staring at the screen, but he was clearly waiting for his son to reply.

"Why, Dad? We have a nice home here. I like Ferrous. Do we have to move?"

Mr. Cooper rubbed his rough chin, not meeting his son's eyes. "If we have to, would you mind?"

Greg remained silent. He was not quite sure what to feel about it. "Is it because of your work? It is, isn't it? It always is!"

His father turned to him at last, looking pained and frustrated. "Well… _partially_, yes, but… it's not what you think… it's –" He scratched his head agitatedly. "Well, it's hard to explain…"

Greg folded his arms and sank backwards into the couch. "I knew it."

Mr. Cooper looked dismayed at Greg's reaction. "It's for our own good, Greg…"

"Yeah, I know. Everything you do is for our own good."

"Greg, please understand!"

"I wasn't being sarcastic. Not really, anyway," he added under his breath. "Where will we be moving to?"

His father paused. "I was thinking we could stay with your aunt in Hearthome for the time being. Then, after I manage to find somewhere to rent, we'll stay there until…" There was another pause. "We'll stay there until we move back here again. We're not selling this house or anything," he added hastily.

When Greg did not answer, Mr. Cooper continued, "I know it'll be tough on you, transferring schools and everything, but please understand that it's –"

"– for our own good," Greg finished, nodding. "I know; you mentioned that already. I suppose I don't really have a choice, do I?"

His father sighed, leaning his head back. "If only we still had a Pokémon, or more."

Mr. Cooper's words gave the Aura Pokémon a jolt. Eevee had been a gift from father to son after all. Was he upset that Greg had released her? Lucario's concentration began to waver as guilt and uncertainty clouded his mind. Had he done the right thing by encouraging Eevee to leave? Would it perhaps be better if he had found a way to strengthen the bond between Eevee and Greg instead?

Then again, what on Earth did having a Pokémon got to do with them moving in the first place?

Upon discovering that he had disconnected from Greg's thoughts, Lucario quickly focused again.

Greg was certain that there was more to his father's decision than met the eye, but attempts at probing for information were brushed aside. As though the idea of moving was not shocking enough, his father had then told him yesterday that they were to depart the first thing tomorrow. He was supposed to spend the whole day packing at home, but there wasn't much he wanted to bring anyway.

Thus, he had decided to spend his last day in Ferrous by strolling around his favourite spot: the park. Since it was unlikely for him to be back anytime soon, he would just hang around until his father came home late in the evening. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all… He could only hope.

Lucario opened his eyes, mulling over everything that he had discovered. Greg would be moving the very next day… Eevee said she wanted nothing more to do with him, but he couldn't help but feel that it would be better for both parties if they met up one last time before Greg left. A quick scan of his surroundings revealed that the Evolution Pokémon had already gone.

In the distance, Absol was staring at him quizzically. Lucario gazed back, feeling rather confused himself.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**Chapter Fifteen: Shadows Taller Than Me**

"_The stars are laughing at me as I count them."_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Lucario forced his way through the thickets, hoping to reach Eevee quickly by utilising what he believed was a shortcut to her home. It occurred to him that he was once again scouring the forest for her. Suddenly, Spike's suggestion of carrying a mobile phone seemed like a great idea – he could easily reach the Evolution Pokémon without any hassle. If only his aura senses had a wider range…

Granted, he did not know if she had indeed returned to her cave or if she was lurking elsewhere, but as long as she was in the forest, he _should _be able to detect her. The real problem comes after that however – he doubted Eevee would even bother to listen to him explain about Greg.

Emerging at the river, Lucario began to walk against the flow, towards Eevee's cave. There were a lot of Pokémon about; some were playing boisterously while others were relaxing by the banks. Several of them gazed at Lucario as he walked past – they probably hadn't seen too many Aura Pokémon with scarves in the forest. He noticed a large number of Buizel swimming in the water as well; Lucario kept an eye out for the one who saved him the other day, but that particular water-type was nowhere in sight.

Trying to drown out the cheerful yells and chattering, Lucario concentrated, sweeping the area with his senses and hoping to detect Eevee somewhere nearby. He doubted he would actually succeed – and hence, he was tremendously surprised when he spotted her presence from _behind _him, drawing closer and closer by the second.

He spun around – and sure enough – he could see her in the distance, running towards him at top speed. She kept throwing backward glances, and had yet to register that he was there. Lucario waved, calling out to her. "Hey, Eevee! Over here!"

The Evolution Pokémon snapped her head back towards the front, a flitting look of panic crossing her features. It was quickly replaced with one of complete surprise when she saw that it was him.

"Hi again! Why are you—oof!"

Without so much as a warning, she had leapt up at him in what Lucario thought to be one of her usual tackle attacks, only she was not angry this time. He managed to catch her in his paws. Eevee stared up at him pleadingly. "Quick, take me away from here!"

"What? Why? What are you running from, Eevee?"

"Just do it!"

"Okay…" Having been taken by surprise, Lucario broke into a sprint without really thinking. He had to admit her terror was infectious – he was getting uneasy himself, and he had no idea what she was afraid of in the first place.

"The other way!" she hissed, tugging at his fur frantically. "I just came from there – you're bringing me right back to _them_!"

"Oh, right, sorry!" The fighting-type turned around and ran as fast as he could, the tails of his scarf flying behind him wildly. "Who is this 'them' you are running from anyway?"

"Never you mind!" she said, peeking behind from around his torso. She looked frazzled, though relieved at the same time. "Just keep running – I don't think they'll pursue me for long…"

"Okay," he said, narrowly avoiding some of the younger Pokémon playing about. Though he tried to ascertain the identity of her pursuers using his abilities, the intertwining aura signatures in the vicinity made it difficult to do so. "Do you want me to take you to your cave?"

Eevee shook her head, looking towards the front again. "No, that won't be necessary. In fact, just dart off towards the left – stray off the main path – they're too far behind, and won't notice."

He did according to her instructions, deviating from the main path away from the river. The noise from the crowd began to fade behind them, and soon only the tranquil symphony of the wind reached their ears. Nonetheless, Lucario was on high alert, using both his aural and aura senses to ensure they were not being followed.

"Eevee," he said seriously, "do you want to hide in my cave for the time being? You'll be safe there. I can seal the entrance, and no one will be able to get in at all."

"Oh, no," she said hurriedly. "No, Lucario, this isn't as serious as you think." She began to wiggle in his paws. "You can put me down now, thanks."

He stopped running. "What? Are you sure, Eevee? Wouldn't it be more prudent to put more distance between us and 'them'?"

Eevee wriggled free, dropping unceremoniously to the ground. Lucario stared – it was the first time he got a good look at the Evolution Pokémon since bumping into her, and it only dawned on him that her fur had been slightly stained with something bluish. "Eevee, what happened to you? Why is your fur dirty?" he asked, pointing.

"It is?" She turned around in a circle, trying to get a good look at her back. "Where?"

"Here, I'll help get the stain off for you." Lucario reached towards the mark and tried to rub it off. He succeeded only partially – the stain was still there, though it was slightly less noticeable. "Well, there's still some stuck on your fur, but…" Seeing that some of the sticky blue substance had got on his paw, he brought it to his nose and took a whiff. "It smells like Oran berries…"

Eevee stopped trying to look behind herself. "How odd. How did that get there?"

Lucario scrutinised her suspiciously. "How indeed? Where have you been, Eevee?"

She shrugged, staring back nonchalantly. "Nowhere in particular. But why are you here? Shouldn't you be with the others at the park?"

He noticed that she was using her usual tactic of changing the topic, but he was not about to give in. "I have something to inform you, but before that, I want you to tell me who you were running from."

"It's no one important," Eevee said quickly. "You've never met them. Seriously, drop it, Lucario," she added when he opened his mouth again. "It's my own problem. So… what was it you wanted to tell me?"

Lucario hesitated, not quite knowing how to bring it up. Eevee was watching him with piercing eyes, and when he continued to ponder silently, she let out a scornful laugh. "The look on your face says it all. It's about _him_, isn't it?"

Though taken aback at her accurate conjecture, he was adamant. "He's moving, Eevee. He'll be gone tomorrow."

Lucario could tell that she was surprised by this news, though she managed to keep an indifferent expression. "So?"

"Don't you want to say goodbye?"

"Lucario, I've already said my goodbyes back when I left the mansion for good."

"But you've been together for quite some time… Even though you aren't partners anymore, there's still this unbreakable bond between –"

"Like I said, that bond was broken with the Poké Ball!" she said heatedly.

"I disagree. I think you still care about him, even if you won't admit it."

Her tail twitched as she shook her head in frustration. "I can't _still _care, when I've never cared in the first place!"

"Well then, perhaps you just don't realise it."

Eevee glared at him, her eyes flashing dangerously. "So you're saying that you know me better than I know myself."

Lucario folded his arms, refusing to back down. "Perhaps I do."

Eevee gritted her teeth, and in a fit of frustration, turned to face the other way in a huff. Lucario sighed and walked towards where she was looking, only for her to spin away again. "Let's go for a stroll, Eevee…"

She did not answer, instead choosing to stare obstinately at anywhere except him. Lucario took a few tentative steps away from the place with his back turned to her, observing the Evolution Pokémon instead with his aura abilities. Though hesitant at first, Eevee soon got up to follow.

Feeling cheered by this, Lucario continued to stroll leisurely without any particular destination in his mind. Eevee trailed behind at a distance, apparently still too mad to close the gap. The two of them remained silent throughout the rest of the journey, and Lucario decided to find a suitable spot to sit down and have a chat.

To his surprise, it was Eevee who broke the silence first. "Can we go to the lake?" she mumbled. When he turned around to look at her questioningly, she added, "I don't feel comfortable knowing there's a mark on my fur – I want to wash it off."

Lucario nodded, changing directions as he led the way towards the lake, which was nearby. Like the riverside, there were plenty of Pokémon about, most of them sitting under the shadows of trees. Eevee bounded towards the water and took a long drink while the Aura Pokémon slowly walked up to her.

After dipping his paw into the warm water, he reached out for the stain on Eevee's fur. Realising this, she jumped backwards in shock. "Relax," Lucario assured, "I'll get that mark off for you." Though clearly tense, she stood still for the Aura Pokémon as he began to rub the filth away. He had to dab his paw with some water a few more times, but he managed to get it off in the end.

"All done."

She twisted her neck around in another attempt to gaze at her back, but to no avail. At last, she sighed. "I'll have to take your word for it."

"It's gone, don't worry." He bent down and quenched his thirst before rising up again, some water dripping off his muzzle. "Let's sit down and rest for a moment."

Eevee did not reply, but Lucario went ahead and searched around for a shaded spot that was not already taken. There were quite a few, but Lucario decided to head towards the pine tree in the far side for two reasons: firstly, that area was quite secluded; and secondly, that was where Eevee had discussed with Lucario about her plans to get revenge on the forest Pokémon. Judging by the uneasiness radiating from Eevee, she had not forgotten either – and she probably knew that he was about to interrogate her about the truth behind her actions that day.

Lucario sat down and stretched before patting the ground besides him. "Over here, Eevee!"

Looking hesitant, she walked closer and sat down a little further than Lucario would have preferred. The Aura Pokémon inched closer – Eevee made no indication of having realised this, and instead, stared out into the lake. After a few seconds of silence, he gave her a light nudge. "Still mad at me for what I said earlier?"

She brushed his paw off tersely. "No…"

Lucario waited for her to continue, but she sank back into quietness. He decided to revive the conversation. "You know… Before meeting you at the place where Kaori held her press conference, I had not seen you for a few months. How have you been then?"

"I've been fine."

"Really?" Lucario asked sceptically.

"Yes."

The fighting-type sighed inwardly. This was turning out to be a lot harder than he had anticipated; she was being extremely unhelpful with her brief comments. "What have you been up to during that period anyway?"

Her reaction to the question surprised him – Eevee stole a glance at the Aura Pokémon before quickly looking away, emitting traces of embarrassment. "Nothing much… It's pretty much life as usual around here."

"Are you sure, Eevee?"

She stared sharply at Lucario, clearly having recovered from her momentary loss of composure. "What's there to be unsure about?"

Lucario rubbed his head; this line of conversation was going nowhere. There were so many things he wanted to ask Eevee, but all his questions were coming out in the wrong order. Still, perhaps he would be able to get somewhere if he linked the topics he wanted to talk about… "Well… you stayed with Greg for quite a long time, right? Life in the forest must be a very different experience, so to attain your freedom suddenly like that, I was wondering if it would cause a whiplash of sorts…"

Her expression softened as she swished her tail around idly. "I was a forest Pokémon to begin with. It wasn't hard to readapt to my old lifestyle."

"I see…" Lucario scratched his muzzle thoughtfully. "Say… how did you get captured in the first place? Did Greg's father stumble upon you in the forest or something?"

"I…" She turned away. "I don't wish to discuss this."

"Well, what can I do to make you talk about it?"

"Nothing."

"But why, Eevee? I'm trying to get to know you better, but it's difficult to do so if you don't want to talk about anything."

"That's because you keep asking questions about things which I'm trying to forget – I really hated my life with those humans, Lucario!" she said hotly.

"Okay, okay, I apologise," he said hurriedly. "I guess I'll stick to questions about life in the forest then."

For some reason, she seemed alarmed at this. "Well… er…"

Lucario eyed her, feeling as though he had stumbled into an important clue. Wanting to forget about her time with Greg was understandable, but why was she seemingly unwilling to converse about her old lifestyle either? He quickly racked his brain for a topic which Eevee would be more at ease with. "How've your parents been?"

Eevee shifted her position. "They've been great – they always are. They're very carefree, always bright and happy."

He nodded, recalling the time when he had spoken with the pair of Leafeon. "Yeah, they are very positive. I had fun talking to them."

"Well, I'm not surprised you get along well with them." She stretched and lay down – he took this as a good sign. At least she was making herself comfortable. "You're quite the optimistic guy yourself."

"It's good to be optimistic," he replied nonchalantly, hugging his knees as he gazed out into the lake. He watched the reflected sunlight on the still and unperturbed water as he thought of how to continue from there. "They told me that they were named 'Eevee' as well, and only decided to give themselves new names once they became mates."

"That's true. Despite that, they still respond to their old names, so it can get funny when the whole family is together." She chuckled lightly as she shook her head. "All you got to do is say 'Eevee!' and the four of us will look around to see who's calling."

They shared a laugh over that remark, and Lucario leaned backwards, glad that it was Eevee herself who lightened the atmosphere. "I know Flaze already asked something similar, but will you change your name someday too, Eevee?"

"I don't know…" She gazed at him lazily. "Do you think I should?"

"Oh, I'm not sure," Lucario said, somewhat taken aback that she had asked for his opinion. "It's your name after all; the decision is yours."

"I actually quite like my name as it is. I expect my name will change when I evolve though… _if _I evolve. But as to whether or not I will change it to something else after that, I have no clue."

"Evolution!" Lucario said, happily latching on to the new topic that she had brought up. "For most Pokémon it's a linear path, but since you're an Eevee, you have many choices, don't you?"

"Yeah, I've been asked a few times which Pokémon I would like to evolve into."

"So, which is it? A Leafeon, like your parents? Or a Jolteon, like your brother?"

"I definitely do not want to follow in my brother's footsteps," she said without any reservations at all. "I'm just not sure which I should choose besides that." Eevee turned to him again. "What do you think, Lucario? Which path should I take?"

"I dare not make that decision for you. Evolution is a lifelong matter."

"I'm not asking you to choose for me; I'm just fishing for opinions." Her expression brightened – she looked as though she just thought of something. Smiling, she cast a questioning look at the Aura Pokémon. "Say, what are your type disadvantages, Lucario?"

"Me?" He scratched his head, wondering what his weaknesses had to do with the topic at hand. "Well, I'm weak to fighting-, fire-, and ground-type moves, I suppose…"

Eevee mulled over his words. "Heh, you're a fighting-type and yet you're weak to your own kind… I wonder if there's a fighting-type evolution for me… I do know that there's a fire-type though," she said brightly. "Maybe I should evolve into a Flareon!"

"Well, a fire-type would certainly suit your temper," Lucario retorted cheerily. "Why must you have a type advantage over me anyway? It's not like we're going to fight or something."

"Someone needs to put you in your place," she said matter-of-factly.

"I would say you're already doing a fine job of that, even though I have the type advantage now."

"Yeah… I suppose that's just because you're being an easy target… You're too easy-going, Lucario." She flicked her tail a couple of times, not noticing that Lucario was looking at her. "Anyway, it seems that most evolutionary paths require me to travel or procure some sort of item though… That would be difficult…"

"Like I said, evolution lasts for the rest of your life." He gave her a pat on the back. "If you truly want to evolve into something, go for it. I could help you find the stone you need – or if you want to become a Leafeon or Glaceon, we could travel to the respective rocks and come back afterwards." He smiled reassuringly when she looked at him in surprise. "They aren't too far, after all. Eterna Forest is very close by, and Snowpoint is just some ways north of here."

"You would travel with me?"

"Sure, it wouldn't be a problem at all."

"Thank you, Lucario… I owe you…"

Lucario brushed it off with a wave of his paw. "I haven't done anything yet. But seriously though, just give me the word if you have made your decision, and I'll help you. Meanwhile, I'll keep a lookout for the evolution stones, so you needn't search for them afterwards."

"Please don't go out of your way to do that though. It really doesn't matter if I don't evolve anyway…" She began to paw at the ground, tracing a circle in the soil. "After all, is it so bad if I just stick to being an Eevee?"

"There's nothing wrong with not evolving, of course. It's just that evolution seems to be something every Pokémon eagerly anticipate. I remember looking forward to it back when I was a Riolu."

"Oh?" She beamed, eyeing him with interest. "I can't really picture you as a Riolu… What were you like then?"

"Well, I think I was more mature…"

"Huh?" Eevee turned to stare at Lucario, her eyes wide. The look of surprise was instantly replaced with one of mirth, and she burst out laughing, even rolling on the ground a little. She raised a shaky paw and pointed at Lucario. "You? Haha – mature? I really can't believe that!"

"Hey," he said with mock indignation, prodding her. "I guess I see your point – it's pretty strange when you think about it. I've become a lot more fun-loving after I evolved… or maybe it's just because I've met Absol and you."

"Me?" she asked, her surprise returning. "How did meeting me make you fun-loving?"

"Come on – we had a lot of good times together. I always wondered… if I had met you earlier…" Lucario paused. Here was a way to link the current topic back to her stay with Greg. "Say, Eevee, you won't tell me how you got captured – but can you at least tell me when?"

"I'm sorry, I can't."

"But, Eevee… surely –"

"No, it's not that I won't, but rather, I _can't_. I've quite lost track myself."

"Hmm… You must have been very young then."

"I hope you aren't insinuating that I'm old." She narrowed her eyes. "Wait – why the sudden change of topic?"

"No – you see… a very long time ago, I have stumbled upon the river in the forest, but I was too timid to explore further," he said reminiscently. "I was wondering… if you haven't been captured at that time, and if I had been braver, we might have met. We could have been friends a lot earlier."

Eevee stared at him in surprise. "Oh." She turned to gaze distractedly at the lake, though Lucario could tell her mind was not on the serene waters. "Things would have ended up a lot different then, Lucario…"

"Yeah… I expect it would…"

She looked back at him, a great sadness emanating from her. "No, seriously… you have no idea how much different things could have been… in so many ways…" Her ears drooped, and her tail fell limply to the ground. "I'm just not sure if it's for the better or for the worse…"

"How could it be for the worse, Eevee?"

She bit her lip and looked away, and Lucario knew he had stumbled onto a dead end. He tried changing tack. "Well then, can you at least tell me what you meant when you said things could be a lot different from what I anticipated?"

His question was once again met with silence. "Eevee…"

Eevee shook her head, getting up on her feet. "I'm sorry… I'm afraid you'll think less of me if I tell you…"

"No way – that won't happen. You can tell me… I promise I won't laugh or get mad or anything."

She did not respond, but instead walked out of the shade and towards the lake. Lucario followed behind, not intending to give up. "Tell you what, Eevee. Let's have a mini-bet. If I win, you share whatever it is that you're hiding from me."

Eevee turned around and casting him a sceptical look. "I know you're up to one of your tricks again. You're going to have me guess which paw of yours is hiding a rock, aren't you?"

"No, where's the fun in that if you already know the trick? I have a different game in mind this time. See, I'll choose a number, and I'll write it down on the sand so that you know I'm not cheating."

"I can't read."

"Oh yeah. Well, you'll have to take my word for it then. I won't lie, trust me. Anyway, the number will be in the range of one to ten, inclusive. After that, you try and guess my number. Get it right, and you win."

She ogled him incredulously. "The odds are stacked against me! How do you expect me to get it right?"

"I'll give you nine chances then. Nine chances, Eevee! Don't you think that should give you a huge advantage?"

Eevee pondered for a moment, still looking wary. "There's a trick – you're trying to bluff me again."

"The number is in the range of one to ten. I'm giving you nine chances." He smiled innocently. "The terms have been stated clearly. How can there be a trick?"

"All right, all right. I'll push you into the lake if I guess correctly. One?"

Lucario shook his head. "Eight chances left."

"Two? Three, four, five, six, seven, eight?"

Lucario smiled. "Nope. Only one chance left, Eevee."

Eevee took a threatening step forward. "I don't believe I'm that unlucky. You must be lying. Your number will end up being the only one I did not guess."

He placed a paw on his chest. "Honest, Eevee. I have chosen my number, and I haven't changed it since the game started."

"Fine. My final answer is ten, and I'll be very suspicious if I'm wrong."

"Wrong," Lucario announced, bracing himself in case Eevee decided to launch herself at him. "My number was, in fact, three-point-five."

Eevee tilted her head, staring at him in disbelief. "What?"

"Three and a half, Eevee! Too bad, but—ow!"

Having tackled his leg, Eevee gritted her teeth. "You cheater! Are you even sure that is a number?"

"Yeah, of course! Er… I think so… wait – I'm sure!" he added hurriedly as Eevee crouched into a fighting pose. "Sorry, Eevee, but rules are rules! You'll just have to divulge your secret, but –"

"You didn't play by the rules," she said in a huff. "I don't see why I should either."

He stared at her, wide-eyed. "But… but… Eevee…"

"Oh, fine!" she snapped. "But I'll only allow you to ask two questions. Just _two_, all right? Not two and a half, not two hundred, not any other ridiculous number you can think of!"

"Just two…" Lucario hesitated. He then smiled. "No problem! All right, first order of business… please tell me about what you meant… about how it could have ended up worse if I had met you when I was still a Riolu… But, you know, if you are seriously uncomfortable with it, then please don't force yourself."

"Hah. You put it so nicely, and yet you keep pestering me for information anyway."

"Well, of course I want you to tell me, but not just because I won the bet. I want you to tell me because you're my friend. You seem unhappy, Eevee… I just believe that it'll help if you get it off your chest…"

"I really don't think it'll help… in fact, it's quite embarrassing… but all right. All right, I'll bite." Eevee heaved a deep sigh and opened her mouth, but seemed unable to get the words out. She sighed again, burying her head in her paws. "Things might end up badly if you had met me a long time ago… You… I'm still not sure what you were like as a Riolu, but you said it yourself, didn't you? You said that you were more mature, and perhaps not as fun-loving…

"If that's the case, then I don't think you would have tolerated me. It's just how I am. I'm blunt. I'm not good at conversations. I lack tact, and I know it – but I can't change that. You don't seem to mind when I insult you now, but would you be so lenient back then? We might not have ended up as friends – in fact, we might even be enemies…"

"I don't think so," Lucario said. "I don't think you would have insulted me much if I was a Riolu. At least, not initially."

"Oh yeah?" she asked doubtfully, peeking out from her paws. "What makes you so sure of that?"

"Simple. You were always more courteous towards Pokémon who are mature," Lucario reasoned. "Take Absol, for example. Sure, you did insult him a couple of times, but I think that's only because of his association with me. Still, I can tell you treat him with a lot of esteem. And if you still don't believe me, recall back to when we met Wolf. See, you were able to hold a normal conversation with him. Perhaps the best example, however, would be Umbreon."

Eevee smiled stiffly. "I don't know… I mean, okay, I suppose that might be true. But there's the keyword. 'Initially'. Once I've grown accustomed to you, I probably wouldn't be too courteous anymore. Would you be willing to keep in contact with me then?"

"Aha, you said it yourself, Eevee: once you have grown accustomed to me. By then, we'll have already become good friends, and we'll have no problems being extremely casual around one another. In fact, it's probably a bad sign if you're extremely courteous around me then – I might think you're mad at me or something."

"Well…" She pawed at the ground distractedly, pushing a torn blade of grass around. "It's easy for you to say… I do tend to rub others the wrong way, even with those who I thought were close friends…"

Lucario noted the usage of past tense. "I think you're worrying too much, Eevee. Maybe I've changed a little since evolution, but it's not like I transformed into a whole new individual. If I don't mind you now, I wouldn't have minded you then."

Eevee contemplated his words silently. Lucario waited for her to speak, watching as a sudden gust of wind picked up the grass, sweeping it into the lake. Having lost her plaything, she turned back to Lucario. "I'm sorry for putting you through this awkward conversation."

"Please don't be. You'll feel better after this, trust me."

A loud burst of laughter coming from far away distracted them both. The two Pokémon turned towards the source of the noise: a group of young Pokémon had apparently started a game of tag, and one of their own had fallen into the lake. Eevee stared at them for a moment before looking back at the fighting-type. "Shall we continue our stroll?"

"Oh, sure. Okay."

Lucario had not expected her to suggest walking elsewhere, but he had no problems with that. Eevee appeared to be extremely uncomfortable, possibly due to the fact that the Aura Pokémon was not done with his questions yet – he could tell that she was still vacillating as to whether or not to indulge him.

He let Eevee take the lead this time, though she did not seem to have a destination in mind. The two Pokémon strode down a path which Lucario had never taken before, carefully avoiding the many jagged rocks scattered around. The tall trees surrounding them protected the duo from the heat, and the strong breeze that blew past was quite invigorating. He felt Eevee's nervousness lessened as they continued to walk – perhaps the tranquillity of nature helped to soothe her mind.

They were quite alone, which was ideal for a heart-to-heart with the normal-type. Lucario thought to himself quickly as he walked, rummaging for a way to continue their conversation. He had built a steady momentum, and it would be a shame if he ruined it all by saying something stupid.

"Look!" he said, pointing upwards. The pair had reached a small cluster of trees filled with an assortment of berries. "I guess it's a good time for a snack. After all, you didn't really eat much earlier… Well, there's quite a variety to choose from. Take your pick, Eevee. Just name it, and I'll get it for you."

She sat down and gazed up at the bright mix of colours hanging above their heads. "I'm not really in the mood for berries at the moment."

"Fine, I'll choose for you." Lucario surveyed the trees for a moment before leaping upwards, hoisting himself atop a thick branch. "I'm going to toss some of these down, so get ready to catch them!"

"Wait – hold on!" Eevee yelled just as she narrowly dodged a Razz berry tossed her way. The fruit splattered on a rock, sending bits of juice flying around. "You'll just get my fur all dirty again!"

"Oops! Sorry! I'll just pluck a few down, then."

Lucario picked a few more berries, stretching as far as he could to reach some from neighbouring trees so as to add some variety. He then leapt back to the ground. "Here you go, Eevee," he said, pouring them at her feet. "So sorry about that." He peered over at her back. "I hope it didn't get you."

"No, I don't think so." Eevee examined the pile of berries for a moment before pushing all the Razz berries to one side. She then picked out a Nanab berry and nibbled slowly.

Lucario looked from the rejected pile of Razz berries to Eevee. He had no idea if those were just not to her liking, or if she disliked them because they reminded her of someone in particular… After all, she had point-blank refused to consider Jolteon as a possible evolutionary path, and he was sure it was because her brother was one.

The Aura Pokémon scooped up a Nanab berry and popped it into his mouth, savouring its bittersweet taste. "Don't worry too much about what might have been, Eevee." She stopped chewing to gaze up at him, and he continued. "Besides, there's two sides to the coin, like you said. Worst-case scenario, we would have ended up as enemies – but that is seriously, seriously improbable. I find myself wondering about the other possibility, however. You mentioned it would be a lot different from what I anticipated, but I'm not too sure what you meant…"

"I suppose you want to ask about that next?"

"Yes, I would want to."

"Well, if we ended up as friends," she began slowly, "we would probably hang out often."

"Yeah, I suppose we would."

"And that would have made all the difference," she concluded simply. Lucario stared at her, puzzled, but she did not elaborate. In fact, she seemed to have been disconcerted by her own remark. Her lips pulled into a frown as she pondered silently. She then groaned suddenly, looking downcast.

"Eevee…?" Lucario bent down, trying to take a peek at her – she had her face buried in her paws again.

"It… it might not have worked out…" she whispered, her voice so soft that Lucario could barely hear her. "I just thought of a second worst-case scenario…"

"Well, if it's anything like the first, it probably wouldn't have happened," Lucario reasoned confidently. "Come on – tell me what it is, and I'll explain why your worries are unwarranted."

"It's a bit complicated." She shook her head and turned away.

He walked up to her and brushed aside a few rocks before sitting on the ground. Eevee tried to edge away inconspicuously, but Lucario pulled her closer and took her paw into his own. She tried to pull it away, but the Aura Pokémon held on firmly. "Eevee… I think it's time you told me everything. Only then will I be able to understand…"

Eevee stopped trying to pry her paw away, looking up into his crimson eyes. "I'm sorry, Lucario, but a deal's a deal. You've used up your two questions asking about what might have been, in both the best- and worst-case scenarios."

He laughed lightly. "I think you're mistaken, Eevee. You say I've used up my questions, but just think for a moment – recall all that I've said prior to this. You'll find that I asked _not a_ _single _question after winning the bet."

A look of shock flew across her expression, and she screwed up her face as she apparently tried to remember everything that he had said so far.

"I told you – politely, I hope – to tell me all that I wanted to know, and you did. See, not one question used yet."

She began to growl, her eyes blazing. "You and your tricks again! You'd make a great conman, Lucario! I can't believe –!" Eevee began to stutter incomprehensibly, her rage and indignation rendering her incapable of continuing her tirade.

In spite of this, Lucario couldn't help but chuckle. "All right, all right, I'm sorry." He rubbed her paw soothingly. "I'm asking you now – as a friend – will you tell me more about yourself? Please?"

Eevee turned to face him reluctantly. She narrowed her eyes, suddenly looking suspicious. "This… isn't a variation of your human-watching sessions, is it? Once you have found out more about me, you aren't going to forget all about me and search for a new victim, are you?"

"Eevee," he said indignantly, "I've never faked a friendship just to pursue my hobby! You know I would never do a thing like that." When she did not reply, he added, "What's the matter? Don't you trust me?"

"I don't," she answered without any reservations whatsoever.

"Eevee…"

Lucario squeezed her paw lightly, and she sighed, her eyes trailing down to gaze at where their paws connected. At last, she slid her paw gently off and looked away. "What do you want to know?"

"We could start with this second worst-case scenario you mentioned."

She thought hard for a moment. "No. That's not the right place to begin. It wouldn't make sense unless you knew about my situation…"

"Well then, why don't you decide where to begin? After all, you know yourself best."

"Fine. Just promise me you won't laugh, Lucario." Eevee's eyes fell on the pile of Razz berries she had segregated from the rest. "As you already know, I have a younger brother. We were both named 'Eevee', though –"

"– the pronunciation is slightly different," Lucario concluded for her. "Your name is pronounced normally, but your brother's has shorter syllables."

"Yes, that's right, but pretty much no one outside my family bothers to differentiate the pronunciations. It gets seriously annoying when it turns out that they are calling my brother with _my_ name."

"Didn't you try to correct them?"

She nodded. "Of course I did, but it's no use. They forget right away – or they don't care – and honestly, I can't blame them. I mean… even my brother doesn't bother with it."

"Why didn't you change your name then, Eevee? You could have given yourself a nickname. That would distinguish between the two of you."

"We already discussed about this earlier. I quite like my name; and I hatched first too," she added. "If anything, my brother is the one who should have changed his name."

"But it's no longer a problem now, is it, Eevee?" Lucario reasoned. "Your brother has evolved. He's Jolteon now."

"True, but old habits die hard," she said bitterly. "Many still call him 'Eevee', and he would happily respond. It really wasn't that bad at first…" Her voice trailed off.

Lucario waited for a while to make sure that she was not going to elaborate before deciding to press further. "'At first', you said… which means there came a point when this really got to you?"

"Well… yes," she said hesitantly. Eevee took another bite of her Nanab berry, looking distracted. Despite her apparent willingness to divulge on her past, she still seemed reluctant to reveal certain information. Nonetheless, Lucario was sure he had enough information to piece two and two together.

"It has to do with Shinx and his group, right?"

Eevee looked up quickly, the shock in her face evident. "What makes you say that?"

Taking her sudden apprehension as a sign that he was on the right track, Lucario ploughed on. "See, when I mentioned your name the other day, he thought I was referring to your brother." He was about to add that the electric-type had called her the 'second Eevee', but decided not to after seeing the look on her face.

"Shinx and his pals are the answer to most of your questions, Lucario," she said bitterly, looking blankly at the pile of Razz berries.

Lucario was about to probe further when a vivid memory flashed in the Evolution Pokémon's mind. He could see a smaller Eevee – her brother – somewhere in the forest, looking apprehensive… Standing in front of him was Shinx, with a whole bunch of other Pokémon behind the electric-type. The Flash Pokémon was looking at the young Eevee appraisingly.

"_This is my brother_," Eevee had said to the group largely, and Lucario could detect the tiniest amount of pride in her voice. She gave him a light push. "_Go and introduce yourself_."

The younger Eevee steeled himself as he took a step forward. "_H–hi! Nice to meet you! I'm Eevee!"_

Eevee took a step forward quickly. "_No – you pronounced it wrong! How many times must I tell you – that's _my_ name – yours is –"_

But she did not get to complete her sentence. Shinx had begun to laugh, quickly followed by the rest of the group. The younger Eevee looked from one to another with polite puzzlement. The electric-type stepped closer and gave the small Evolution Pokémon a thump on the back. "_Another Eevee_! _You look like you'll be a fun fellow to hang around with! Don't be so afraid!"_

"I really do believe my life would've been a lot better if I never met them," she said, and Lucario quickly registered the fact that this was the present Eevee talking. "My brother took my name – they all refer to him as 'Eevee' – and what about me? My identity is lost. Every time they see me, they greet me as 'Eevee number two'."

"Eevee… like I said, you could have given yourself a nickname… I know you like your name, but if the situation has come to that, then surely –"

"It's not so simple," Eevee interrupted in frustration. "When I voiced my concerns about this, they only laughed and suggested nonsensical nicknames that I could adopt. Sure, some of them tried and made an effort to get our names right – I'll give them that – but the rest just thought of it as a joke. They think it's funny, having two Eevee with the same name running around the place – and they think it's funny to try attaching stupid nicknames on me…"

"But Eevee, they might not have meant for that as an insult," Lucario said hurriedly. "It could all just be harmless fun. Remember back when we dug a pitfall for Shinx and Pachirisu? He kept calling Pachirisu 'Patch' instead, despite being told not to… It's not just you, Eevee. They probably tease one another all the time. Don't take it to heart."

The waves of anger from Eevee died away instantly. She stared at Lucario in surprise before turning away, her eyes screwed up in concentration as she apparently contemplated his words. "No," she said at last, her indignation returning, though it was not as strong as before. "I admit you have a point there, but then why didn't my brother get the same treatment?"

There was almost a tone of pleading in her voice, as though hoping he would have an explanation for this as well. "Well… he wasn't too bothered about this whole name business, was he? They probably saw no point in teasing him about something he didn't care about…"

Eevee gave an anguished smile, looking downwards. "This is one of the reasons why I wish we could've met long ago… If only we could have had this conversation back then… It would certainly have made me feel better about it."

Not quite knowing what to say, Lucario resorted to stroking her back.

"But you're still wrong," she said suddenly, causing the Aura Pokémon to startle. "Yes, I can see what you mean about my brother not caring too much what they call him, but of course he wouldn't be bothered! Why did he get to assume _my _name while _I _become 'that one other Eevee'? And seriously, what really hurts about this is the fact that they knew me _first_ – I honestly wouldn't have minded otherwise." Eevee looked up at him. "Explain that, genius."

"Hmm…" Lucario struggled to come up with a good reason, and Eevee snorted, correctly interpreting his silence. "Wait – Eevee, listen. I'll have to ask again: are you really sure they meant that as an insult? Perhaps it was… a sign of affection?"

She stared at him in disbelief. "How can that be a sign of affection? You're only grasping at straws now, I can tell."

"Well, there was no malice behind the nickname 'Patch'," Lucario muttered obstinately, though he knew Eevee would not accept this. "How did you even get to know of the gang anyway?"

"We all live in the vicinity," Eevee said with a sigh. "I got to know Shinx first, and we were pretty much good friends… initially. I found out he had a whole bunch of pals that he always hung out with – and I decided to tag along. It was only some time later when I decided to get my brother to join too… He was actually hesitant at first, can you believe it? I was the one who persuaded him to give it a shot…"

She shook her head, in apparent disgust with herself. Lucario paused before asking, "Is that why you're mad at Shinx and Jolteon, Eevee? Because of the whole name thing?"

Eevee flushed with indignation. "Of course not. I'm not that petty."

"Then I suppose they must have done something much worse?" Lucario reflected back on everything that he knew about her. "Your parents mentioned that you seemed troubled over the months after I helped you get revenge on Shinx and the rest…"

"Oh, was _that _why you were so interested earlier in knowing what I have been up to?" Eevee smacked a paw to her forehead, grumbling under her breath. "What else have my parents been telling you, Lucario?"

"Nothing much, rest assured," Lucario said hurriedly. "But it all comes down once again to what truly transpired that day, doesn't it?" He grabbed hold of her head with both paws and forced her to look into his eyes. "They pushed you into the lake, didn't they? That's why you were all wet, and that's why you wanted to get revenge on Shinx and Bidoof."

She wriggled free out of his grasp and swiped both of his paws away. "You're wrong." Eevee quickly moved away before Lucario could grab her again. Facing away from the Aura Pokémon, she said quietly, "I dived into the lake myself."

"What? Why would you…" Lucario jumped as realisation dawned upon him. Getting up to his feet, he rushed to her in alarm. The Aura Pokémon's sudden panic startled Eevee – she let out a gasp when he appeared abruptly in front of her. "Were you trying to drown yourself, Eevee?"

"No, no, no! What is with you and Absol, always assuming the worst?" She looked away. "I was just trying to clean my fur, that's all."

"Eevee, you can't expect me to believe that. Something else happened; I know it."

Her head snapped back towards him, lips curling into a snarl. "That's the truth – take it or leave it."

Eevee turned the other direction once more, glowering. Lucario hesitated, uncertain of how to proceed from here, considering that he was only agitating her further. He could not see how she was merely trying to wash herself, but without her co-operation, he had arrived at another dead end.

"That's the truth, Eevee?" he asked meekly.

She kicked a pebble to the side, her back still facing the Aura Pokémon. "It's fine if you don't believe me."

"No – I'm sorry – I believe you," he said hastily. Though still unsure of what this meant, Eevee did not appear to be lying. "Surely you didn't need to jump into the lake though? Do you always do that when you want to clean yourself?"

"No… but it's faster and easier that way, especially since I was alone – and incredibly dirty – at that time. If only you arrived at the scene earlier, Lucario. You could've helped me then, just like today."

"Just like today…" Lucario repeated to himself, suddenly realising something. "That's it! You were running from some unknown entity – your fur was stained – you wanted to clean yourself… Today's events are a repeat of the past, aren't they?"

Eevee sighed heavily, refusing to answer, but Lucario had a hunch that he had finally stumbled upon the truth. "It all fits, Eevee. You were chased back then by Shinx and Bidoof – perhaps Patch as well – and you got your fur dirty. Then you jumped into the lake, met me, and decided to rope me along into your plan for revenge."

"Nice try, Lucario," Eevee said with a wry smile. "But I would only give you five marks out of ten. Your conjecture lacks substance – you left too many things unexplained. All right, all right," she said, seeing the look on Lucario's face, "don't stare at me like that! I'll fill in the holes for you… You've pretty much guessed it anyway. It all happened after I finally escaped from captivity…"

"You mean back when you left Greg's mansion for good?"

"Yes, what else could I have meant?" She flicked her tail, pacing around in a circle before giving the ground a pat. "I was back in the forest, my true home. A lot of time has passed, but many things remained the same… Still, there was one thing which surprised me: my brother has been captured by a human."

Lucario stared at her in surprise. "Your brother was captured after you?"

"Yeah… I heard he was caught not too long after me." Eevee kicked another pebble away, watching as it landed among the pile of berries. "But it's totally unfair. His human allowed him to return to the forest often… and as you can see, he has even evolved. He's perfectly happy, and he gets to come and play and tell stories and everything… everyone seems to look up to him like some sort of hero…"

A sudden wave of intense sadness radiated from the Evolution Pokémon as she sat down, her tail falling limply to the ground. "I want to feel happy for him, but somehow, I can't… I just can't…" She pounded repeatedly on the rocks, bitterness in each blow, scattering them every which way. "I tried, Lucario, I tried! But deep down, I know I resented how he was able to enjoy – I mean – the things – all his way and –"

Lucario quickly grabbed her quivering form, alarmed at her incoherence. "Eevee, calm down! Come on, get a grip on yourself… take a deep breath…"

The Evolution Pokémon did as he told with heavy gasps, as though she had been deprived of air. "Eevee, look at me. It's only natural to feel jealous, all right? Don't beat yourself up over it."

"I'm a horrible sister," Eevee went on, as though Lucario had not spoken at all. "I know I'm being selfish, but… why do all things go his way, while I get the short end of the stick? I was paired with a human who doesn't even need me – and I was kept away from my true home for ages, till everyone has forgotten I even exist…"

"Oh, don't say that, Eevee… It's not that bad…"

"You've no idea, Lucario… Having heard countless stories from Jolteon about how great life with a human is, no one paid much heed to my plight… They just assumed that I was exaggerating or telling tales." Eevee sighed sadly. "I think some of them even believe that it's my fault my stay with the brat was a failure."

"That would be very unfair of them, if they really are pinning the blame on you," Lucario said, fiddling mindlessly with the tip of her ears. "But that's just your suspicion, right? No one's blaming you. And hey, look on the bright side. You're finally home. You can get your old life back, Eevee… Maybe Jolteon has had better luck with his partner, but being a wild Pokémon is great too. You'll have more time to spend with your friends, after all."

"My old life isn't all that great," Eevee said, her voice almost in a whisper. "There was already friction between me and the gang to begin with… I admit that was partially my fault – I was a little more snappish ever since my brother hung out with the lot…" Her expression hardened. "But no, there's absolutely no way I'll go back to being friends with them."

"This has to do with what happened that day, hasn't it?"

She leapt off his arms and paced about once more, emanating traces of anger now. "They're jerks – the whole lot of them. There's an English saying… 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder'… When I first met up with some of the gang after my long period of absence, they acted chummy, asking about how I've been and all that. That was about the time you brought me along to human-watch that kid who cheated in his schoolwork…"

Lucario paused. "You mean Albert?"

"I can't even remember the names anymore," Eevee said as she flicked her tail impatiently. "But see, Lucario, the real kicker came when they informed me they would be holding a party to celebrate my return… You have no idea how happy I was then. I was over the moon, Lucario…"

"Wait a minute…" Lucario rubbed his temples; a distant memory was resurfacing in his mind. There was a time when Eevee hiked all the way up his mountain for no apparent reason. She had been inexplicably emanating waves of joy back then, and he recalled being extremely puzzled over this since she was usually in a foul temper. "You came to my mountain then, didn't you? I told you about how someone from the school won the competition…"

"Yes, that's right," Eevee said, apparently surprised that he still remembered. "To tell you the truth, Lucario…" She looked downwards in embarrassment. "I actually thought of inviting you at that time… but I guess I came to my senses."

"Hey," Lucario said with a grin, glad that she was able to pull a joke at a time like this. "What was that supposed to mean?"

Eevee, however, only gave a tiny smile before it faded away. "No offence, Lucario, but I didn't know you too well back then. I still had some reservations about you. But anyway, the party was scheduled, and I spent the rest of the days looking forward to it. I thought they were really happy that I was back…"

Her ears fell flat to the back of her head, and Lucario asked tentatively, "It was all a prank, wasn't it?"

"Well… yeah." Eevee walked over to the berries left on the ground. "Bidoof brought along a large pile of berries which I had assumed to be the food…"

The brown-furred Pokémon fell silent. Meanwhile, her words brought another flashback to Lucario. Right before meeting the drenched Eevee, he had gone with Umbreon to collect some berries in the forest. They had stumbled upon Bidoof, who was carrying a large amount of Oran berries… "_I'm just gathering berries for a party we're having today_," he had said. "_A friend of ours, see… reappeared after a long period of absence._"

Why had he not made the connection before?

Lucario was interrupted from his thoughts when yet another recollection flashed by. The memory-Eevee was staring with polite curiosity as a whole group of Pokémon walked up to a pile of berries. After a while, they dispersed, standing at Eevee's sides.

Shinx stood a few feet away from the Evolution Pokémon, a Razz berry in his mouth. He placed it on the ground gently and addressed the crowd. "I'm sure we all know why we're here today!" he said gleefully. "This is a party to celebrate the return of our beloved Eevee number two!"

When the crowd began to cheer, Shinx held up a paw. "Well then, Eevee, let me do the honours of kicking things off. Let me be the first to say…" He picked up the berry with the corner of his mouth, a broad grin on his face. "Welcome back!"

With the memory fading away, the present-Eevee gave a sardonic smile as she scooped up an Oran berry with her mouth before tossing it forcefully against a large boulder. The berry hit the rock's side, splattering juice on its smooth surface. "Let's just say that I never knew how juicy a berry could be before that day."

"I… I'm sorry, Eevee…"

"No – _I'm _sorry, Lucario, for how I behaved that day. You just caught me at a very bad time, that's all. I'm glad you turned up though – I couldn't have gotten my revenge otherwise." She frowned, eyes narrowed as she pointed a paw at the Aura Pokémon. "But you still managed to infuriate me further in the process."

Lucario blinked. "Huh? What did I do?"

"Come on, I'm sure you remember. You were nagging the whole time about how I shouldn't waste food… That advice should have been directed towards Shinx and the rest, Lucario, not me!"

"I didn't know!" Lucario said defensively. "I asked plenty of times what happened, but you just told me to keep my abnormally large nose out of your business."

"Oh yeah," Eevee said, chuckling. A second later, however, she snapped at him again. "That's not all though! You kept being lenient towards my targets! You deliberately missed with those water balloons; you helped Shinx back out of the pitfall – and you even had the gall to retort by asking me how _I_ would feel if it were me in that hole instead. Well, I _had _been in a metaphorical hole, so tell me, Lucario – how do you think I felt?"

"I'm sorry, Eevee…"

She sighed, the anger vanishing from her eyes. "I know it's not your fault. I just felt you were being very unfair, even though you weren't aware of it," Eevee mumbled. "How nice of them, to have someone help them out in their time of need. Me, I was all alone…"

"That's not true, Eevee. I helped you too, didn't I? By assisting with your revenge?"

"Some help you turned out to be," she grumbled, casting him a disdainful glare. "I just wish I had invited you to the party after all… Maybe you could have prevented all that from happening." Eevee paused before looking at Lucario suspiciously. "You… you wouldn't have joined in the berry-tossing, would you?"

"I wouldn't," Lucario said sincerely. "Actually… I might, but not against you, Eevee. Honestly, it sounded just like some sort of food fight. If I were there, I would probably have thought it was a free-for-all. Are you sure you weren't just misinterpreting the situation?"

"Seeing as I was the only target, I highly doubt so. There were berries coming at me from all directions – I told them to stop, but needless to say it was in vain. It was all I could do to get away as far as possible, as quickly as possible."

"Well then, they might have continued the fight after you were gone, Eevee," he reasoned. "They might have intended for it to be a full-scale food fight all along. Perhaps they weren't just trying to pick on you."

Eevee dismissed his theory with a wave of her paw. "It doesn't matter. Even if that was the case, I was their first target, and that speaks loads in itself. I know when I'm not wanted."

"Wait a minute – the same thing happened today, didn't it?" Lucario asked suddenly, almost forgetting about the incident earlier. "So… some of the group decided to toss berries at you again?"

"Yes, precisely!" Eevee declared, a triumphant look on her face. "See, Lucario, there's your proof that they were after me all along!"

"Hmm…" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Can you tell me what happened today then?"

"Oh, well, let's see…" Eevee thought for a moment. "Er… I stumbled upon three of them by the river, apparently tossing berries at one another. But wait!" She held a paw up quickly to silence the Aura Pokémon. "I know what you're going to say, but get this: the moment they saw me, they banded together and began tossing them at me instead. It's like I have a target painted on my face or something. But it's not a total loss," she said, somewhat smugly. There was no mistaking the pride in her voice as she continued, "I managed to shove one down into the river."

"Oh dear. And what did become of that unlucky individual?"

She shrugged. "No idea. Don't worry, he'll be fine." Eevee then added gleefully, "I just imagine he'll be mad at the other two, seeing as they decided to chase me instead of helping him out."

"I'm glad you had fun this time, in any case. I can imagine how you must have felt the first time though…"

"Yeah… it seriously hurt, to tell you the truth." Eevee scowled. "It wasn't the first time they played such cruel tricks on me, but that particular incident was just too much. They would never have treated my brother like that."

"Don't think too much of it, all right?" he said, rubbing her head. "I probably shouldn't be saying this, but I have seen the group playing about a few times in the forest, and I always thought them to be very rough. It might seem as though they're bullying you, but maybe that's just their idea of fun. I can tell they really care for one another, and since you're part of the group, I'm sure they hold you in high regard as well."

"Care for one another?" Eevee repeated disbelievingly. "That's where you're wrong. The incident today already tells you that they wouldn't mind leaving their own in the lurch – hence the reason why they chased me without helping the guy I pushed into the water."

She turned away, resentment in her voice as she continued somewhat hesitantly, "And… if they truly looked out for one another… I wouldn't have been captured in the first place."

"You mean…"

"Yeah, you know what I mean. We were all together then – a very large number of us." She shook her head as though severely disappointed in the rest of them. "Suddenly, two humans burst into the scene – that old geezer and some crazy woman."

"By old geezer, you meant Greg's father?"

"Yes, of course," she said impatiently, her tail thumping the ground behind her.

"Then who is this crazy woman you speak of?"

"I have no idea; I never saw her again. They immediately pulled out some Poké Balls, and we all panicked. Everyone scattered and ran as fast as they could, but I tried to call them back."

"Oh, Eevee… Why did you do that? You should've run with the rest of them…"

"No, you don't get it. I heard the woman giving instructions to the geezer, and it couldn't have been plainer that they did not intend to use any Pokémon to attack before attempting capture. Since there was so many of us, I figured we could group together and teach the humans a lesson, so that they never return."

"That was very risky, Eevee. They might change their minds about not having their Pokémon attack if you guys decided to retaliate."

"Well, it was so sudden – I didn't really think straight. I guess I kind of assumed they didn't bring any Pokémon in the first place. But still, no one listened to me – they just thought of saving themselves. My brother tried getting me to run too, but he gave up quickly enough, scampering off too."

"Oh no…" Lucario stared at her in dismay. "So you were left all alone?"

"That's right." A dark look crept over her features. "Before I knew it, I was sucked into some sort of vortex. It was… I don't know how to describe it, Lucario. I didn't know what to do. I tried to struggle, but I wasn't sure how. I couldn't really see where I was, but it felt like I was suspended in a void. And then it was over. The void around me shifted into a mini-forest setting, but I could see the boundaries surrounding the place. I knew I was caught."

Eevee turned towards Lucario. "Let's go back to the topic we were discussing earlier, about what would happen if we had met much earlier. I mentioned a best- and worst-case scenario. Do you get what I mean now? I've given you all the pieces; I'm sure you can put them together."

"Huh? Me?" Lucario was caught completely off-guard by her sudden question, having been contemplating the revelation about her capture. "Since you've already said all these things, why not go all the way and tell me?"

"Don't be lazy – you need to do some work too." Eevee walked a little closer, looking curious as to what he might say. "Go on, Lucario. Let's see you work that brain of yours."

"Okay, I'll try." He scratched his head, trying to come up with something quickly. "I suppose we would have been very good friends in the best-case scenario."

"Genius!" Eevee said, wearing an expression of utmost surprise. "Outstanding deduction! I never would have thought of that!"

"All right, no need to be so sarcastic. You did mention it would affect more than what I would expect." As though a light switch had been turned on suddenly, the answer came to Lucario in a flash. "I see! If we had been friends then, you might not have got captured after all! I would have dragged you away from the place if I had to!"

"Ha, you figured that out," Eevee said, looking genuinely impressed. "Yes, if there was someone who would've helped me avoid capture, it would've been you, Lucario. After all, you did help when that insane girl tried to catch me at the cafeteria the other day."

"Oh yeah, I remember that. That was quite a close call."

"Yeah. If you were there in the forest with me, I could've avoided all the torment I was placed through in Gr— in the brat's house." She fell silent, a particularly strong gust of wind ruffling her fur. "But there was one more thing which would have changed if we had been friends earlier, Lucario. Can you guess?"

Having remembered another part of their conversation earlier, Lucario had his answer ready. "You're talking about the berry-tossing incident, aren't you?"

Eevee nodded with an amused smile. "Right again. Well done, Lucario!"

"Somehow, I think you're being sarcastic again…"

"Actually, I wasn't thinking about that incident specifically, though you would certainly have been a big help then," Eevee continued, ignoring his last remark. "Like I said, that wasn't exactly the first time they've made fun of me. But if I had a friend who would stick up for me – just one – then I don't think I would've minded much. I would be significantly happier. I might not even have hung out with the group so often.

"That, combined with the fact that I wouldn't have gotten captured, is the reason why this would truly have been the best-case scenario for me." Eevee sighed wistfully. "But of course, let's not forget the other worst-case situation… I don't suppose you can guess what it is either?"

Lucario shook his head. "I really can't see where the negative side is, and I doubt it even exists."

"Sure it does. Before meeting Shinx, my brother and I used to hang out all the time, always up to all sorts of rubbish. That all changed once I introduced him to the group." Eevee raised a paw and pointed at Lucario, her eyes gleaming. "Tell it to me straight, Lucario – would you have ended up like my brother, defecting over to the other side as well?"

"I wouldn't," the Aura Pokémon said firmly. "But I don't think your brother has de—"

"Would you have ended up like my brother," Eevee asked forcefully, "helping the others to plot and scheme against me?"

Lucario stared at her. Could it be? He hadn't noticed Jolteon in the flashback of the berry-tossing incident, but… what if he was there after all, among the group of Pokémon? That would certainly explain why she was so mad at him… "Eevee, I'm sure Jolteon –"

"Yes or no, Luc?"

Lucario reeled in shock at her sudden usage of the nickname Absol had given him. It was the first time she had ever done so, and that act alone held a lot of significance to him. Finally – _finally_ – the barrier between them was starting to break. Beaming, Lucario replied, "I would never hurt you intentionally. Ever."

Eevee scoffed. "Usually, when someone says something like that, they don't add in the word 'intentionally'."

"I daren't make any promises, because I can be accident-prone sometimes."

"I suppose so…" She looked away innocently, muttering under her breath, "Glass-face."

"Hey, _that _particular accident only happened once! And speaking of which, why did you stop me when I was about to mention that nickname at the picnic?"

Eevee snorted. "Don't be silly, Lucario. It's a stupid nickname, and they'll only laugh at me for coming up with something that juvenile."

"If you think that's juvenile, then why did you call me that in the first place?"

"A juvenile name for a juvenile Pokémon, no?"

"Well, since you have a nickname for me, it's only fair that I make one for you too." Lucario pondered silently while Eevee backed away, looking apprehensive. "Hmm… your name is pronounced with longer syllables, huh… Ee – vee. Eee – veee. Eeee…"

"I'm glad you're having fun mutilating my name," she grumbled.

"I think 'Ee' is a nice name," he announced happily. "I might call you that once in a while from now on."

Eevee eyed him in apparent disbelief. "'Ee'?"

"Vee!" Lucario finished for her. "I assure you there's no ill will behind this nickname; it's meant to be a sign of affection."

She sighed. "I suppose it could've been worse."

"Right. Now that I've got one for you, perhaps I should create one for Absol too. Since we're all calling ourselves shortened versions of our names, it's only logical that I should call him 'Abs'."

"I'm sure he would like that." She chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. "He's a good guy, that Absol."

Lucario nodded fervently. "I couldn't agree with you more."

"I must admit I used to find him scary at times, especially when he is concerned about your safety. But still, he actually tried to comfort me when my brother showed up at the hospital. I'm just glad he didn't hold it against me for…" she stared at Lucario tentatively before pointing at his fully-recovered leg, "… you know."

"Of course he wouldn't – see, like I told you, even Absol doesn't think it's your fault. You aren't the only one who found him scary though. I think Spike's quite intimidated by him as well."

"Oh?" Eevee looked at him in surprise. Her ears then flew straight up, as though she had just thought of something. "That reminds me. There was something I wanted to ask you, Lucario."

"What is it?"

"The other day, after Absol and I came back to the mountain and saw you with Spike, you said a very strange thing."

Lucario blinked, scratching his head. "Did I?"

"Yes. It's been bothering me for a while now, but I never really got the chance to ask about it."

"Well, what did I say?"

"I can't remember exactly, but it was something about… about having to live because you need to help the city."

The Aura Pokémon froze – he recalled saying something to that effect to assure Absol he would not commit suicide. It just occurred to him that he had never told Eevee about the prediction his father had made. He had been careless, blurting that out in her presence…

He folded his arms, looking at her in the eyes. "I don't know, Eevee… I didn't think you would find out this way…"

She tilted her head in confusion. "Find out what?" Eevee then bounded towards him. "What are you keeping from me?" When he did not reply, she continued, "I told you everything about myself, so shouldn't you do the same?"

Lucario considered her for a moment. "Fair point. All right, I'll tell you. I didn't mean to hide it from you – I just kind of forgot, to be honest. You remember that my father is a Xatu, right?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Well, he saw a vision of the future. Some sort of disaster will befall Ferrous City during the night, and it could greatly damage the place – this forest included. Apparently, prevention is impossible… but I'll try to minimise the damages, nonetheless."

Eevee's eyes widened, looking positively terrified. "Th-that's… that's just absurd! A widespread disaster… here? How can that be?"

"I know it's hard to digest, but he saw it in his visions. I trust my father, and so I wait continuously for that day to arrive. Not that I want it to, of course," he added with a chuckle, hoping to lighten the atmosphere. The Evolution Pokémon was radiating intense waves of fear now.

"But… but…" She stared at him earnestly. "And what about you? Diving into the heart of danger – isn't that practically suicide?"

"I don't really know what will happen to me, to be honest," Lucario said softly, already half-regretting telling her about this. "But I'll do it anyway."

"Don't," she said fiercely, jabbing his foot with her paw. "Stay away from it – you're going to end up killed, Lucario!"

"My mind has already been made up, and nothing can change it."

She huffed, turning away so fast that her tail whipped him on the leg. "You've always been a stubborn one!"

The Aura Pokémon sighed, looking upwards as the wind danced with the many-coloured berries hanging above them. He adjusted his scarf slightly to cool his warm neck before looking back at Eevee, who still had her back turned to him. Despite her outburst, the predominant emotion emitting from her was still fear.

"Ee…"

Her ears twitched, but she remained adamantly still.

"Did you not think that I would be afraid too? Every now and then my mind wanders off to the disaster – I keep on speculating when it'll strike; I keep on fearing the aftermath; I keep on wondering if I have a future beyond that." He sat down cross-legged besides her. "But it doesn't matter. My road has been laid out for me. Sometimes you run with the wind…" Lucario smiled as she glanced at him at last. "And sometimes, against. Yet, that's no excuse to stop running."

"But Lucario, you have no obligations whatsoever to the city _or_ the forest," she said pleadingly.

"I was born into a purposeless life, Ee. Perhaps it is my desperation to find some sort of goal – some sort of meaning to my existence – that led me to this decision. But of course, over time, I've met more and more wonderful friends…" He placed a paw on her back. "And that has given me a new reason to help protect the area – because it is our home."

"I understand how you feel," Eevee said, "but I still can't accept it."

"I know. I'm sorry I dropped a bombshell on you. Don't dwell on it too much, okay? It probably won't happen anytime soon anyway." He unfolded his legs and lay down, looking up at the cloud-filled sky. "Who knows… by the time it strikes, I'll be old and have ten kids or something."

Eevee pulled a face. "Well… it's good that you're thinking that far ahead, at the very least."

"I was only joking. I must say though, I'm touched by your concern." He watched as Eevee shuffled her feet uncomfortably. "I'm glad we ended up as friends, especially considering how you seemed to detest me back when we first met…"

"You just caught me at a bad time, that's all."

"Yeah, I suppose I did…" Lucario said, chuckling. When he first met Eevee, she was having an internal conflict, wondering if she should escape the mansion. It now struck him that her life in the forest wasn't much better… perhaps that was why she was hesitant to leave… "Although you didn't seem too happy with me at any other time either."

"That's only because you rub me the wrong way."

"Oh?" He reached out a lazy arm, gently rubbing her on the back of her head. "How's this then? Feels good, Eevee?"

Eevee dashed ahead with a small laugh, causing his paw to grasp thin air instead. "Not bad, I suppose, but you'll need many more years of training if you want to be a masseur." She sat down a few feet away, her expression turning serious. She seemed to be having an internal debate, but before he could ask, she stared at him in trepidation. "Do you want to know, Lucario, the reason why I have always hated you?"

The Aura Pokémon sprang upwards immediately into sitting-position. Eevee was looking directly into his eyes despite her nervousness and apparent shame. It was not often she volunteered information, and this was a question to which he had always wanted the answer to. Yet, he suddenly feared what she might say.

At last, he nodded. "I'll listen if you'll tell me."

"You have to understand, Lucario, that I had a really bad first impression of you. You broke into the house with Absol as though it was a perfectly fine thing to do, and then you came to my room, asking about my life story… I'm not berating you," she added when Lucario bowed his head shamefully. "I just want you to understand how I felt then. It didn't help that, once again, you caught me at a really bad time. What with me being flustered and your strange behaviour, do you see now why I had my doubts about you?"

"I'm sorry for how I behaved that day, Ee…" He paused to mull over her words. "So that's why you didn't like me at first?"

She shook her head. "There's another reason… and this one really isn't your fault, but still…" He stared at her questioningly, and Eevee reluctantly said, "You reminded me a lot of Shinx."

"I did?" he asked in surprise, having not expected this at all. "In what way?"

"It's just the way you behaved that day… so cheerful and inquisitive… friendly at first… childish…" She eyed Lucario. "It doesn't help that you even look a little like him."

"I do?" he asked again, looking down at himself and wondering how he resembled the little electric-type.

"Sure you do," she said, walking towards him. "See," she pointed at his fur, "you two are blue, black, and yellow." Eevee directed her paw upwards. "You have different eyes though…"

"Well… I still don't really see the resemblance, to be honest. My blue and yellow are of a different shade."

"Blue is blue, yellow is yellow. What's more, you both have a white-furred 'second-in-command'."

Lucario had to think for a while before he understood what she meant. "Absol and Pachirisu? All right… now you're really stretching it."

She waved a paw impatiently. "That's not important anyway. Fact is, you reminded me of him. Shinx was already a source of major annoyance – there was no way I wanted another 'friend' like him in my life."

"Oh… so that's why you tried to shut me out…"

"I cannot deny that you piqued my interest – there's something about you that was different, though I wasn't sure what it was…"

Lucario nodded sagely. "It's the colour of my eyes, isn't it?"

She laughed. "No, it's not that. Technically, Shinx has a bit of red too, in what he calls his nose. But anyway, Shinx has hurt me plenty of times before, whether he knows it or not. I was sure that if I got to know you better, you would end up being exactly like him. I didn't want that, Lucario."

"Don't worry," Lucario said reassuringly. "I understand completely."

"So you aren't mad at all those times when I've insulted and attacked you?"

"I never was mad, and I never will be."

She snorted and turned away. "See… that's another reason why I've always loathed you."

"What?" Lucario asked, taken aback. "You're mad at me for not being mad?"

"I've told you before… I just don't understand you. You're something else, Lucario," she said, a hint of frustration in her voice. "I've never met another Pokémon quite like you. I was sure you were feigning friendship just to hurt me in the end, and I thought I was right at first… Remember when you told me that you lived at the top of the mountain?"

Lucario nodded. He had told her to come and visit him after their first encounter.

"I hiked my way to the summit only to find nothing. Hence, I deduced that it was all a trick, and that my suspicions were right. You were not to be trusted after all."

"But Eevee, the cave is –"

"Yes, you need a move to reveal the entrance. But I didn't know that, did I? I thought you had successfully played a joke on me. I then went down the mountain only to find you and Absol coming up… Absol then explained the truth, but I was still kind of peeved.

"Well, it turned out you hadn't lied after all, but I was still suspicious. You didn't trick me _yet_, but that did not mean you wouldn't eventually." She sighed, a pained expression crossing her features. "That was when I decided… I would get you before you got me. I would expose your true colours… I would reveal your intentions and confirm my doubts about you."

Eevee inclined her head apologetically. "I decided to anger you until you reached your boiling point. All those insults and attacks… even the whole 'Glass-face' fiasco… they were all my attempts at pushing you to the limit. Sure, you irritated me every now and then, and some of those insults were true, but for the most part, I really didn't mean it.

"Despite that, Lucario, you remained annoyingly friendly and courteous. I just didn't understand it – there was no way a Pokémon could be so tolerant. Your patience only served to fuel my suspicions; I convinced myself you were just biding time before you make me pay the ultimate price for trusting you."

"Oh, Eevee… that thought has never once crossed my mind…" Lucario said.

"I know, Lucario, but I was afraid. There were also times when I thought I saw signs which supported my suspicions. Remember what I asked you after you found me drenched? I asked if there was someone you absolutely despised… and you said yes. You even told me it was a Pokémon."

Lucario thought hard about what she was talking about. "Oh! I was thinking about the group of Pokémon who tried to rob me at several instances. You've met one of them – Medicham – remember?"

Her expression transformed to one of mingled surprise and relief. "Medicham… I see…"

He smiled. "Did you think I meant you, Eevee?"

Eevee nodded sheepishly. "Yeah… I thought you were dropping a hint then. But that wasn't all either. I thought I finally managed to make you mad after what I did, dropping all those apples and water balloons on your head at your hatch-place…"

"Oh, that." He grinned shamefacedly, scratching the back of his head. "I was shocked, but not mad. I brought it on myself, after all. I shouldn't have gone lenient on your targets."

"Don't say that!" she said quickly. "You didn't deserve it at all, and frankly, it's been bothering me for a long time. You spent the whole day helping out, and that was how I repaid you – at your hatch-place, to boot!"

"Hey, I asked for it. Quite literally. Remember? You said we didn't need to, but I persuaded you otherwise."

"True, but still… I know we parted quite amicably that day, but I was afraid you were angry at me deep down inside. It's quite odd, considering that that was my goal in the first place – to break your patience. It didn't help that a few months would pass before we got to meet again, so I couldn't gauge how you felt about me after that incident…"

"But Eevee, you could've come to my mountain anytime! I was wondering myself where you were, and what you were doing," he said.

"I was scared to, Lucario. And ashamed, perhaps," she said. "I did try to accidentally-on-purpose bump into you though. For many days, I went to the lake early in the morning, hoping to get a glimpse of you as you collect water in that barrel of yours… but you never showed up. I thought you were trying to avoid me."

Lucario groaned as he suddenly realised something. "So that was why you asked just the other day if I usually collected water early in the morning! I was wondering why you were so happy after I told you I normally wake up late."

"Yeah…" Eevee grinned in embarrassment. "I assumed you always went early after I saw you doing so the day of our bet."

"Eevee," he began exasperatedly, "haven't I told you before? An experiment needs to be conducted several times before a proper conclusion can be made. You shouldn't come up with a generalisation after just one trial!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know you're not an early bird?" she said defensively.

"Hold on a second…" Lucario stared at Eevee, hardly daring to believe what he had just thought of. "So… that was why you were stressed out during that few months? Because you believed I was avoiding you?"

"Well, someone sure does think highly of himself," Eevee huffed. "Although you're partially right. I thought I lost everything that day, what with all my old 'friends' – and brother – betraying me, and how I thought you decided to break all ties with me… It was quite a relief when I saw you again after Kaori's press conference – and you were the one who initiated the greeting too!"

"Yeah, I was really surprised; I never expected to see you at a place like that."

"That was what you said then as well. I wondered if you were trying to hint that you wouldn't have gone there if you knew I was in the building."

A few seconds of silence passed by as the Aura Pokémon stared at her in slight exasperation. "I see now that Absol isn't the only one who worries constantly," he said seriously. "I never knew you were so paranoid, Ee…"

"Which brings me back to my point about not understanding you," she said with a sigh. "I never knew a Pokémon could be so confusing. Are you friend, or are you foe? After you helped me get my revenge, I was beginning to trust you, but some doubts lingered. And then, _that _occurred."

"Um… what occurred?"

Eevee stiffened. Though she did not reply, a vivid memory flashed in her mind. For an instant, the Lucario was brought back to his cave. A small blue orb whizzed out of his past-self's outstretched paw, narrowly missing the Evolution Pokémon before it crashed into the wall, creating a crack.

The memory faded, and Lucario bowed his head silently. He knew he had hurt Eevee tremendously with that accidental Aura Sphere, but now that he was aware of all that she had been through, he realised the circumstances were direr than what he initially thought.

"I'm so sorry, Eevee…" he said miserably. Eevee looked up at him in surprise, not realising that he had seen what she had thought. "I must have really hurt your feelings with that Aura Sphere… You spent ages wary of my intentions, and just when you finally began to trust me, I had to go and cause that mess. You must have thought I had shown my true colours at last."

Eevee thumped her tail lightly against the ground, placing her paw atop the Aura Pokémon's. "Don't be. I admit that has crossed my mind for a moment, but like I've told you before, I realised soon enough that it was probably an accident…" Her ears drooped. "What bothered me most about that incident was how I behaved. And I wonder why the others shun me," she said, letting out a derisive chuckle.

"I pushed you to it, Eevee. I shouldn't have teased you about Kaori. We've discussed this – I am solely responsible for that accident."

"There you go again, trying to absolve me of all blame… You should have been _furious_ after what I've done, but…" She lapsed into silence, appearing to be deep in thought as she leaned her head against his side. "Why, Lucario…? Your friendship is sincere, I know that now, but I still don't understand… why are you never angry at me no matter what I say or do?"

Lucario placed an arm around her subconsciously, thinking about her question. "I never really thought about it, Eevee… But I'm sure of one thing – I knew you never meant any harm in everything that you do. Why else do I tease you back every so often? It was all for fun…"

"How can you be so certain?" she asked in a whisper. "I'm not so sure myself sometimes… I have become that which I hated… I have turned out to be just like Shinx…"

"I am a Lucario… I would know about these things." He patted her gently. "Don't worry about it, all right? You don't have to worry about offending me, ever. If you feel a good insult coming on, don't hesitate to hurl it at me. There's nothing wrong with friends teasing each other."

She smiled dolefully. "I guess you're right… Now I understand what you're trying to say… Maybe Shinx and the rest were just teasing me playfully after all…"

"Perhaps… I think Shinx and Jolteon are truly sorry, Eevee…"

"And I'm sorry too, but I don't know if my relationship with them will ever be the same again…"

"It's never too late," he said firmly. "After all, we're closer than ever now, aren't we? You just need to sit and have a nice, long chat with them. They'll listen. Some bonds are not so easily shattered."

Eevee gave a tiny nod, staring blankly ahead. "Yeah, I guess that's true…"

"And…" Lucario hesitated. He would hate to ruin the mood, but he had to bring it up sooner or later. "And what about Greg, Ee? There's still a bond between the two of you, no matter how tiny it may be. Won't you at least say goodbye?"

The Evolution Pokémon took a deep breath, tilting her head upwards to look into Lucario's eyes. "I still hate him for how he treated me, even though I know he was just frustrated because of his father."

"Don't think too harshly of him," Lucario said slowly, trying to choose his words carefully. "In order to get his father's attention, he lost sight of what he already had… it's too bad that it had to turn out this way, because I'm sure you two could have been very good friends otherwise…"

"Always the optimist," Eevee uttered in mild amusement. "I'm not so sure things would end up as peachy as you described, but… I do understand how he feels… we're both in somewhat similar situations after all…"

"What do you mean?"

"Dejected outcasts chasing after our separate desires… You might think we would have found solace in each other's company, but I guess we were both too focused on our own wants…" Eevee smiled disdainfully. "He neglected me, and for that, I hated him. I wanted to get back to the forest as soon as I could. But perhaps… perhaps if I had been more assertive, forcing my friendship onto him… would things have been different then?" She slumped, tail resting idly on top of Lucario's paw. "I guess I never gave him a chance."

"Now, don't go blaming yourself either," he said sternly. Lucario was actually surprised she would interpret the situation as such. Could this be another reason why she was slightly hesitant to escape – because she saw a part of herself in Greg?

"The two of you just wanted some comfort," Lucario continued, "but it's not so easy to support someone else when you're feeling down yourself. It's a pity, yes, but it can't be helped. No use shedding tears over wasted dairy products."

"You're silly," Eevee said, giving the Aura Pokémon a gentle shove. "Tell me then, Wise One. What should I do? Don't expect me to go up to the kid and cry about his departure or anything. And I certainly hope you aren't going to suggest that I be his Pokémon again – I'll not do that."

"I think a chat would suffice," Lucario said. "An hour, perhaps, to catch up on one another. It's still not too late for the two of you to become good friends, you know."

"I'm fine with not being friends with him." She looked up to find the fighting-type staring at her expectantly. "Oh all right. I'll do it for your sake, though I'm not expecting too much out of this meeting."

Lucario beamed. "I'm glad to hear that, Eevee. He should still be in the park, though I'm not sure how much longer he's going to stay there. We should hurry if you want to catch him."

"Oh… now?" Eevee said, looking less than thrilled. "I'm not sure I'm mentally prepared yet."

"Well, I suppose it's a little sudden, but we might miss him if we delay any longer."

"Fine… Though I don't think he'll talk all that much anyway." She glanced at the Aura Pokémon. "You'll be there by my side, right?"

"What? No way; what do you want me to be wheel number three for? Trust me, it'll only get awkward if I show up."

"So you're just going to put me there alone… with him?" she said in disbelief. "What'll happen if he decides to capture me?"

"I don't think Greg would capture you if you don't want him to," he replied confidently. "Seriously, I doubt he would do that. Don't forget that he willingly released you back then. He knows you're unhappy with him. If it would help though, I could linger around nearby to make sure he doesn't try anything funny."

"Hmm…" She regarded him with suspicion. "In short, the kid and I would be your new human-watching victims…"

"Hey, if I wanted to human-watch Greg, I would've just agreed to follow you. Nothing better than a front-row ticket after all."

"Okay, I guess you have a point." Eevee stood up and Lucario did the same, brushing the dirt off himself. "Fine… let's get this done with."

"All right!" Lucario cheered. "Let's move, then!"

**:::::::::::::::::::**

_Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon, a species perhaps most notable for having a diverse evolutionary path. Being able to adapt to their surroundings, Eevee are quite sought after, with many notable trainers having an evolved one in their line-up. The Eevee I know is completely shrouded in mysteries, but today, I finally broke through the wall between us._

On Eevee's insistence, they stopped by her cave near the river before setting off for the park. Lucario was not sure what the purpose of this detour was, but she had told him to wait a distance away so that her parents would not see him. Her excuse was that the pair of Leafeon would probably have dragged the two in for a long chat should the Aura Pokémon be spotted, though the fighting-type had a feeling she was just feeling a little shy.

Deciding to obey anyway, Lucario rested atop a large rock by the waterfall, dipping both his feet into the cooling water. The afternoon sun had vanished into the clouds, and a refreshing breeze was lingering around the area. Laughing to himself as he watched a few of the water Pokémon trying out some elaborate stunts, he nearly fell into the water when someone tugged at his tail.

Spinning around, he found Eevee, holding something in her mouth. The Evolution Pokémon laughed at his fright, the item dropping to the ground. Though wanting to admonish her for scaring him like that, his curiosity got the better of him, and he bent down to look at what she had dropped.

To his surprise, it was the half-used roll of adhesive tape which was utilised back when they were creating some water balloons. He had been astonished to find that she had continued keeping it in the cave, though he supposed it all made sense now.

"For you," she said, sliding the tape towards him. Upon noticing the stunned look on his face, she added roughly, "Oh, don't worry, I won't forget the favour I owe you. I don't need this to remind me."

"No, I wasn't worried about that." He picked the roll up, looking at it for a few seconds before glancing at her again. "Are you sure about this, Eevee? You can keep it as a souvenir, you know."

"It's all right," she assured. "I know you like collecting trinkets, so you can add that to your stash."

He rubbed the squeaky surface gently, staring at it once more. "Wow… thanks… I'll be sure to take good care of it. I think I'll keep it in my aura box."

Her eyes widened as she regarded Lucario sceptically. "Seriously? But it's just a roll of tape…"

"I don't think you believe that," Lucario said with a chuckle, "or you wouldn't have kept it all this while, would you? There's a deeper meaning behind this tape, and I'll treasure it for the same reason you did." Grinning at the bewildered expression on her face, he added thoughtfully, "I just wish I have something to give you though."

She was quick to respond. "There's no need for that." Eevee hopped up to the rock. "Look, Lucario," she said softly, such that the Aura Pokémon had to strain his ears to hear her over the sound of the roaring waterfall. "Thanks for today. And thanks for… you know… being so patient with me."

"Likewise, Ee, thanks for being my friend," Lucario replied with a grin. "Don't forget, it was _you_ who gave me a chance… We parted ways after our first encounter at Greg's house, but I had no idea where you lived. If you hadn't dropped by the mountain again, that might have been the end of it."

"It was my parents who asked me to," she reminded.

"But you could've refused, or you could've pretended to. Yet, despite your bad first impression of me, you came anyway."

"Hmm…" She smiled, directing her gaze to the waterfall. "You sure know how to cheer someone up. You'd make a good counsellor, you know."

Lucario chortled as he swung his legs, creating ripples in the water. "Ah, so many career paths, which to choose? Should I be a conman, or a counsellor?"

Eevee joined in the laughter. "Or a swindling counsellor; why not?"

"And you can be my business partner! We'll split the profits between us!" He held up a paw. "Deal?"

Eevee giggled again, probably not realising that the Aura Pokémon had indeed been thinking of his career prospects. She slapped his paw with her own. "Deal."

_Turns out that she used to frolic around with Shinx and his gang. Things took a turn for the worse when she introduced her brother to them. Eevee quickly grew frustrated with the group, perhaps due to the name mix-ups, or perhaps it came down to her resentment at the preferential treatment they showed her brother. This caused a terrible loop: they angered her, she angered them in return, and of course, it all went downhill from there._

_On the day we played our little game of revenge, the others had lured her into a trap under the guise of a welcome-back party. According to her, that was not the only time they had pulled a prank like that. This is also the reason why she is so mad at her brother. Having only heard Eevee's side of the story, it is hard for me to say if she merely misunderstood the others' intentions, or if they were genuinely out to spite her. I personally believe that the situation with the gang is not as bad as she thinks it is, but I cannot be certain._

Not wanting to waste any more time, Lucario left Eevee at the base of the mountain as he rushed towards the summit at top speed. The entrance to his cave was unsealed, and Absol was loitering alone just outside it.

"Heya, Abs!" Lucario said, waving as he continued dashing forward.

Absol blinked, his mouth hanging open. "Wh… whaaa…?"

"Sorry, can't talk now; I only came to get something," Lucario said as he ran into the cave with his roommate right behind him. "I'll be back later."

"Where are you going?" Absol asked as they burst into the main room of the cave, startling Spike. The Riolu had been sitting on his small pile of hay, his muzzle buried in one of Lucario's books.

The Aura Pokémon dashed to his aura box and dropped the tape in before heading towards the crate where he stored some of the souvenirs received during his human-watching sessions. "I'll be with Eevee. I'm not sure how long it'll take, but I doubt I'll be gone for long."

"Hmm… all right," Absol said, staring bewilderedly at the two halves of a broken Poké Ball that Lucario had fished out from the box. "Be careful."

"Nothing will happen; don't worry." Lucario ran off and looked back just before he vanished around the corner. "See you later, Absol, Spike!"

He caught them throwing confused looks at each other before waving back at him. Grinning to himself, Lucario set off once more with the Poké Ball fragments in his paws. The fighting-type was slightly out of breath when he finally reached the bottom again, where Eevee was sitting patiently. The brown-furred Pokémon gasped in surprise when she saw what he was holding.

"What did you bring _that _for?" she asked, not troubling to keep the disgust out of her tone.

"It's yours after all, Eevee," he answered between pants. "Yours and his. I know you aren't going to be his partner anymore, but that doesn't change the past. I thought it would make a good farewell gift to Greg. He can take one half, and you, the other."

Eevee scowled, still glaring at the broken Poké Ball.

"Come on, Eevee…"

"Okay… I'll give it to him… but you should've kept the other half with you until later. How am I going to carry it around?"

Lucario scratched his head. "Good point. Never mind; I'll hold onto it for you. Are you ready then?"

"No, but do I have a choice?" She nodded in the general direction of the city. "Let's just go."

_I have also learnt the reason why she has disliked me from the very beginning. It was a combination of several factors. For one, I left a bad first impression, what with my breaking in the mansion with Absol. Then again, if I had not done that, I would never have met her in the first place. Secondly, I reminded her of Shinx, and she believed I was only faking a friendship so I could somehow hurt her in the end._

_Finally, she says it was because she did not understand me. According to her, I remained patient despite all her attempts at driving me off the edge. She asked me why, but frankly, I have never given the matter much thought (if at all). Even though she might have seemed angry at times, I guess I always saw her insults as just playful jibes. _

Lucario spent a good fifteen minutes scouring the park for Greg, though he could not detect the boy's presence at all. Sensing the disappointment in the Aura Pokémon, Eevee had assured him that it was okay, but he refused to give up. "He's got to be somewhere around here…"

It wasn't until much later when, walking along the edge of the park, he finally picked up Greg's aura. "Got him!" he yelled abruptly, causing the Evolution Pokémon to jump. "He's… somewhere outside the park…"

Eevee squirmed slightly – Lucario could tell that a part of her was wishing he would have failed in locating the boy. "Don't worry, Eevee. Just get out there and accompany him for a while. It's his last day here, after all, so it's up to you to make it a memorable one."

She nodded, following Lucario as he headed out of the park with his aura sensors rising slightly, informing the Aura Pokémon where to go. They were taken down a path which was very familiar to the fighting-type; it was the same route which led to the beach. Now that he was drawing closer to Greg, he was able to use his abilities to pinpoint the boy's exact location – he was sitting by the ocean, all alone and apparently asleep.

"I'll wait around here," Lucario told the Evolution Pokémon. The cliffs overlooking the beach were quite deserted, with barely anyone in sight. On top of that, few vehicles passed by the nearest road, thereby preserving the beautiful tranquillity of the area. It was an excellent location for the two former partners to catch up with one another.

Eevee glanced up at him anxiously. "You'll keep an eye out for me?"

"Don't worry about that. I'll linger long enough to make sure he doesn't try to catch you, and then I'll leave you to your own devices."

"What? You aren't going to stay the whole time?"

"I _could_, but I have a feeling you'll feel more at ease knowing I'm not around, spying on your conversation." He laughed lightly, handing Eevee the white half of the Poké Ball. "So, without me around… feel free to… you know, shed a few tears or some—ow! Sorry, Ee, just joking – ow!"

He quickly backed away when she prepared for a third tackle. "Sorry about that! But seriously, you'll be more comfortable knowing the two of you are alone, right? A heart-to-heart just isn't the same when there's an outsider looking in."

Eevee nodded reluctantly. "Fine, but I'm surprised you're willing to let this chance pass by when you usually jump at the first opportunity to human-watch."

"Yep, for once, I'm keeping my overgrown snout out of your affairs," Lucario replied brightly. "All right, you'd better get going. Go on, Eevee." He gave her a light shove. "And good luck!"

Picking up the Poké Ball fragment in her teeth, she slowly descended the hill, casting one last glance back at the Aura Pokémon before breaking into a full sprint ahead. Lucario walked along the top of the cliffs, watching as Eevee left a trail of footprints behind her.

Walking past a large van parked on the grass, Lucario laughed when he saw Eevee repeatedly jabbing the boy on the arm to wake him up. Greg groaned, rubbing his head before turning to the source of his annoyance.

As Greg stared at Eevee in absolute shock – no doubt wondering if he was dreaming – Eevee looked as though she was tempted to run away. Still, she remained at his side, dropping the Poké Ball onto the sand.

"Eevee?" Greg said, reaching a hand out to touch her. Apparently having been convinced that this was no illusion, his eyes fell onto the item she had dropped. "What's this? Are… are you trying to say that you want to be my Pokémon again?"

The Evolution Pokémon leapt backwards, shaking her head furiously as she bared her fangs.

"Of course you're not," Greg said, a small grin on his face. "Don't worry; I knew you wouldn't have wanted me to. But I'm just surprised… I mean… how long has it been?" The boy paused as he reflected on his own question. At last, he beckoned her over with his hand. "Come on… let's talk for a while… I have quite a lot of time on my hands today…"

Eevee hesitated, still eyeing her former partner with suspicion. Though her fears were clearly unalleviated, she took a few steps closer and sat down. As she did so, her eyes scoured the top of the cliffs and found the Aura Pokémon. Lucario nodded and smiled, though he wasn't sure if she could see him doing so. Nonetheless, he was sure that everything would be all right.

With that, Lucario turned and ran, enjoying the refreshing breeze against his fur.

_The roll of adhesive tape, a sign of friendship. One could argue about how the stickiness resembles the strong bonds between two individuals, I suppose, but this particular tape holds more significance than that cheesy metaphor. It was used back when Eevee and I were making water balloons, and though she could have tossed it away, she has kept it in her cave all this while. Clearly it was something special to her, and the fact that she has given it to me really means a lot._

_I believe in Eevee. I am confident she will be able to repair her bonds with Jolteon, Greg, Shinx, and the rest of them. She has a good heart, and I am proud to have her as a friend. I wish nothing but the best for her. _

Lucario closed his journal and sighed in contentment. It had been a long day, but a very fulfilling one. Staring out at the setting sun from the holes in his cave, he wondered what Eevee was doing now.

A startling possibility had occurred to him – what if Eevee had decided to leave with Greg? He realised he was powerless to stop her from doing that if she so desired, but – as selfish as it may be – Lucario did not want that to happen.

"So, what've you been up to all day long?" Absol said, peeking at the journal's cover over the Aura Pokémon's shoulder.

"Nothing much; just had a long chat with Eevee." Lucario turned around to face his white-furred friend. "Sorry for leaving all of you in the middle of the picnic like that. We can have another one someday, perhaps with even more Pokémon to join in the fun. Maybe Jolteon can come too."

"Ah, Eevee's brother?" Absol gazed at the Aura Pokémon enquiringly. "Eevee has made up with him then?"

"Not yet, but it's only a matter of time." Lucario glanced up as Spike walked over, a huge pile of books in his paws. "Never knew you were quite the bookworm, Spike!"

"Never knew you had a bookstore in the cave!" the Riolu replied merrily, placing the stack besides his bed of hay. "Great collection; hope you don't mind me bringing them here. I'll put them back later."

"Don't worry about that. I was never one for tidiness anyway."

"Awesome – but no, it wouldn't be nice of me to leave a mess."

"I see that you've taken only the storybooks," Lucario said, reading some of the titles off the spines. "Do you want me to recommend something on mathematics? There are some activities which you can attempt, and it can be pretty fun, if not challenging."

"Uh…" Spike blinked with his mouth agape, seemingly unsure of how to answer the Aura Pokémon. He was spared the necessity of doing so, however, when Lucario detected someone's presence rapidly approaching the cave.

Lucario had wondered earlier if the Evolution Pokémon would drop by once she was done talking to Greg, and he soon got his answer when Eevee burst into the scene, appearing to be out of breath.

"Eevee! How was it?" Lucario asked brightly, slowly walking towards her. On closer inspection, she seemed extremely frantic over something. "Eevee?"

She took a deep breath and looked up at him. "He… Greg… knocked down!"

"What?" Lucario said, hardly aware that his voice came out in a whisper.

"Greg's got into an accident!" Eevee yelled in panic. "What do I do, Lucario, what do I do?"

As her voice echoed throughout the cave, Lucario turned around to face his two other companions, their faces reflecting the shock and confusion on his own.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Next time, on I Am Lucario…

"_They said that there was a suicide note. They found it in his pocket._"

Eevee's story is not over yet.

Unfortunately… I have no idea when the next chapter will be completed, seeing as a new semester's about to begin soon. See you in Chapter 16, hopefully soon enough.


	16. Spinlock

I Am Lucario

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Pokémon

Last update was 18th July 2011.

Current update is 26th May 2012.

Ouch, almost a full year has gone by without an update. Plus, this is only a **double-length chapter**, so it's not exactly a very long one either. Once again, I am so sorry…

In response to…

**Mei Fire**; hello there! The previous chapter wasn't as long as some others, I think, and this one is even shorter. I'm sorry it took nearly a year!

**Maom stripes**; hope the PMD project is going well! Now that we know more about Eevee though, writing her will be so much different from now on. I'll try my best to keep her as entertaining as in the past!

**Arrassia**; ah, the Unova Pokémon will actually be appearing in the next one – Chapter 17. ^^ I've revealed the identity of one of them in deviantART, so I'll post it here too: One's a Zoroark. It might be a clichéd choice, but he fits really well into the overall plot. The other will be a secret for now, but there'll probably be more Unovan Pokémon in the story eventually. As for age, I think Lucario and Eevee are roughly the same age, while Absol is slightly older. That's not set in stone though – I'll leave this to the reader's imagination. :D Your review wasn't confusing at all; thanks for reading and commenting!

**Solyeuse**; thanks very much! And true to my prediction, I've taken a long time with this chapter as well. Sorry about that!

**Shadowkitty**; ahaha, I've certainly taken a lot of time with this one. XD But thank you very much for your kind words! I'll do my best to maintain and improve the story's quality!

**A Man-at-Legs**; thank you very much! I'll definitely keep working on the story, although it might take a while before the story ends. The story is three years old already!

**skarmory5**; thanks very much! Indeed, I'm not confident in those genres at all, but unfortunately, there'll come a time when I'll have to incorporate them into this story. Eevee seems to be getting a lot of fans lately!

**TheLegendOfWolf**; ah, thanks very much for the correction! I've fixed it up. And I'm sorry it took this long! I really need to improve on my time management. Nonetheless, I hope this chapter will be worth the wait!

**anon**; well, the previews can sometimes be misleading. XD But read on to find out!

**Decretum**; the downside to long chapters would be the time it takes for me to get them done. XD But I like keeping a whole 'episode' into one chapter to ensure that everything flows smoothly before I submit them. Thank you very much! There'll be lots more of Eevee to come (and hopefully Absol too – I've been neglecting him lately).

I hope I didn't miss anybody.

I would say this chapter is a little… strange. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy.

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

The hospital corridor was quite deserted save for a few nurses walking calmly by, going about with their work like any other day. In fact, what with the setting sun casting its orange glow through the windows, one could be forgiven for taking the sereneness as a sign that all was well with the world.

A clear contrast to the tranquillity was the group of Pokémon tearing down the corridor, with Eevee taking the lead. Lucario may be panicked and confused, but nothing could compare to the state of turmoil in the Evolution Pokémon's mind. Every now and then, a scene from the accident would flash by: the roar of the engine… the screech of the tires as the vehicle swerved… a bright flash of white…

These scenes would repeat themselves in random order, such that Lucario had no idea which happened first. Right now, however, he was more worried about Greg's condition. What a cruel trick of fate it would be if he were to die just like that…

At long last, they've reached the room where Greg had apparently been brought to – according to the nurse at the emergency ward, anyway. Through the nurse, they learnt that a surgery had just been performed on Greg, though she was unsure of his current condition. Despite the urgency of the situation, Lucario had to admire the staff's efficiency.

Eevee dashed forward, about to barge in through the door before skidding to a halt when an orange figure suddenly ran from the side to block her way. Lucario hadn't even noticed the figure until now – it was a rather small Growlithe, sporting an overlarge police cap. Despite her fidgeting frame, she had a stern expression as she lightly pushed Eevee backwards.

"Sorry. No one is allowed in. My master is questioning the patient right now."

"Greg!" Eevee managed to gasp out between pants. "Is he all right? Is he alive?"

The Growlithe rolled her eyes. "I said my master is questioning him right now, didn't I? It'd be hard to question a dead human, I expect."

Relief flooded the Aura Pokémon. Greg was fine – conscious, even. If he was well enough to be questioned by the police, it would seem that there was no lasting harm done. "Excuse me, Officer, can you tell us more about the boy's condition? I understand that he was involved in an accident… We're all very worried about him."

At the mention of the word 'officer', she blushed, a surge of pride welling from within the little canine. Tail wagging furiously, she glanced around at Lucario and Spike appraisingly. Absol had, once again, refused to enter the hospital. "No need for formalities – call me 'Gardie'! You're all part of the boy's team, then?"

"No, but we're acquaintances."

"Acquaintances?" she echoed, tail falling limply to the ground as she contemplated something. "Come to think of it… as far as I'm aware, we haven't even contacted the boy's family. Couldn't get through the line. Pray tell, how did you know he was involved in an accident?"

Lucario scratched his head. "Well, you see…"

"I saw it," Eevee interrupted, staring unblinkingly at the Growlithe. "I'm a witness."

At that, the fire-type gave a jolt, ears perking up. "A witness! _You're _one? But you must give me your statement!" Her sudden eagerness seemed to have startled the Evolution Pokémon, who took a step back warily. Gardie was positively tremblingwith excitement. She gave a joyful bark. "Go on, begin right from the beginning!"

"Tell me about Greg's condition first," Eevee demanded fiercely.

"I don't know much," she replied, somewhat impatiently. "But don't worry; his injuries aren't severe. He had a fractured leg, and they had to remove some shards of glass from his body… but otherwise he's perfectly fine. On with the testimony then, go on!"

Eevee stared at her doubtfully before turning to Lucario. The Aura Pokémon gave her an encouraging nod – he was keen to hear her account of the incident as well. "My memory's a little fuzzy… I remember walking with Greg just after conversing with him at the beach…"

The Growlithe nodded. "Conversing, eh? You can speak English, hmm? Or perhaps the boy can speak Pokémon?"

"No, no, he was doing all the talking! I just… sat and listened."

Gardie nodded again. "A one-sided conversation then. Go on."

Eevee threw an exasperated look at Lucario before continuing. "It happened then. A huge van came from nowhere and knocked him down. There was a flash, and…" She paused, looking puzzled. "No, wait. The screams came first. Then there was a bright flash – I'm not sure what that was – and the next thing I knew, Greg was sprawled on the road."

"Hmm… not very sure of yourself, are you?" the fire-type said, scrutinising Eevee. "Tell me: are you sure you've told me every little detail?"

"Yeah, I think – wait!" Eevee exclaimed abruptly. "There was another man! He – he…" Eevee pranced around, suddenly extremely agitated. "He tried to pull Greg out of the way…"

Lucario blinked in surprise – this was news to him. In all her panic over Greg's condition, it seemed that the Evolution Pokémon herself had forgotten that there was another party involved. The Growlithe, however, nodded. "I'm glad you said that; at least now I know you're telling the truth," she said. "The man in question quite possibly saved the life of this 'Greg' you're speaking of. Unfortunately, he paid a heavy price for it – he's in critical condition right now."

Eevee's jaw fell open as she stared at the canine in shock. Seemingly at a loss for words, Lucario decided to step in. "This man… who is he?" He directed the question to Gardie, but he turned to Eevee as well to see if she had an answer for that. She was there when it happened after all.

"I can't remember his name," the Growlithe said sheepishly. "But we believe he's just a passer-by who happened on the scene."

"How horrible," Lucario muttered, placing a paw on his mouth. "He was run over in an attempt to save Greg?"

"Yup!" the fire-type replied, perhaps a little too brightly considering the situation. "A brave act, that's for sure, but…" She dragged out the last word, apparently wondering if she should continue. The Growlithe raised a paw to push her cap upwards. "Well, there's something troubling about the whole thing all right."

Lucario considered her statement for a moment. It was clear from her expression that he was expected to prod. "If I may ask, what is it?"

"Well…" She hesitated yet again, but it was apparent to Lucario that she was bursting to tell them. "They said that there was a suicide note. They found it in his pocket." There was a rue smile on her face. "In other words, even if he were to die now, he would only be getting his wish."

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

"_I knock on the locked door."_

**Chapter Sixteen: Spinlock**

"_On the other side, someone knocks back."_

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

Even from a distance, Lucario could sense the tremendous despair and shock coming from the room which contained the stranger who had saved Greg's life. It must have been a double blow for his family, what with the accident and the suicide note to boot. To his surprise though, there was only one individual in the room with the patient, despite the intense waves of sadness.

It was a Charizard, resting her head on the patient's chest. Though it was barely noticeable from where Lucario was standing, there was a thin stream of tears leaking from her eyes. Feeling uncertain, the Aura Pokémon made to knock on the door, but stopped when he felt Spike tugging on his arm.

He turned to the Riolu questioningly. Spike looked apprehensive, glancing at the Charizard within the room tensely. "Lucario… I don't think we should bother her…"

"I don't know…" Lucario stared at the man on the bed, covered in bandages. His aura was feeble, but pulsated every once in a while as though it was desperately clinging on to existence. He was in bad shape, but the situation was not as detrimental as Emily's had been. "I wonder if there's anything I can do…"

"Well, how's his aura?" Spike asked, in the same manner he adopted when enquiring about Emily's aura back then.

"Weak, but I think it's still salvageable. After all, the accident just happened a while ago. It seems the damage isn't irreversible yet."

The Riolu laughed dryly. "I suppose it's possible to rejuvenate his life force then. But you know what happens if you overdo it, don't you?"

Lucario folded his arms and thought hard. Xatu had warned before about the dangers of transferring one's entire aura away. Absol, if he were here, would never have permitted the fighting-type to even think about it. Eevee, if she had followed them instead of remaining outside Greg's ward, might have stopped Lucario as well.

"It's risky," Spike said, "but not so much if you can control yourself." He glanced at the Aura Pokémon. "Can you, Lucario?"

"I've never tried, but I think I can." He gently rubbed the Riolu's head. "Besides, you're here. You can help stop me if I'm having trouble, can't you?"

The Riolu nodded reassuringly, and Lucario smiled before looking in to the room once more. Despite his calm demeanour, his heartbeat was accelerating. It was this which made him realise that he was actually afraid. "Will… will there be any side effects?"

Spike paused, rubbing his chin as he thought hard. "Nah, I don't think so. The guy's just gonna receive some of your aura to help replenish his. I doubt it'll cause any harm to his body."

"No – I mean… to me…" Lucario voiced out meekly, feeling a little embarrassed at the childish question.

The Riolu's smile was one of warmth and understanding, however. "You _might_ feel fatigued for some time, but I don't think there'll be any permanent damage. _If _you don't overdo it, of course."

The Emanation Pokémon paused before continuing. "I'm not sure why you're thinking of saving him, but you shouldn't feel as though you're compelled to. There's a reason why Lucario everywhere aren't being used to rejuvenate patients in the healthcare industry. It's not good for us."

"It's just… I don't know… If there's a chance to save him…"

Spike laughed lightly. "If every Lucario has the same mindset as you, we would have been extinct by now. Don't get me wrong: I know what I'm saying sounds completely horrible – but it's the truth. That's just how the world works. You might feel obliged to help others, but first and foremost, you really should look after yourself."

When Lucario remained silent, the Emanation Pokémon spoke again. "Besides, this man wanted to die, remember? Who's to say he won't go killing himself after you've saved him?"

Lucario contemplated his words for a moment. "You have a point there. I wonder if he was only willing to jump in and save Greg because he had a death wish… Would he have done the same if not for this?"

"The accident probably happened too fast for him to be able to think about it," Spike reasoned. "He must've acted out of instinct."

"Yeah… You're probably right." The Aura Pokémon sighed. "You never know – he might have been contemplating suicide, but it's possible he's not going to do it in the end. Taking one's own life… is it really that simple?"

"Taking a life is never simple," Spike replied quietly. "Be it your own, or someone else's."

"I wonder why he –" Lucario began, but stopped abruptly when he noticed the Charizard in the room lifting her head up to stare at the two. "Oh dear. We've been spotted."

Spike turned to Lucario, apparently uncomfortable with the way the fire-type was surveying him. "You're the one who wanted to enter in the first place. Now's your chance."

"Okay. Just be mentally prepared – she might not take too kindly to us when she finds out we're related to Greg." The blue-furred Pokémon walked over to the door. "I know this isn't Greg's fault, but the man wouldn't be in this state if he hadn't tried to save him."

Spike looked alarmed at this. "Whoa, if that's the case, then I think we'd better –"

Lucario rapped his paws on the door before opening it.

"– leave," the Riolu concluded weakly.

The Aura Pokémon smiled reassuringly to Spike before walking into the room. The Charizard stood up from her chair, hastily wiping her eyes before looking round at them both. "Can I help you?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"Good evening. I am Lucario, and this here is Spike," he introduced, indicating the Riolu. Spike had made sure to keep a sizable distance between himself and the Flame Pokémon. He offered a paw. She looked slightly taken aback, but she shook it all the same.

"My name is Cassie…"

"It is nice to meet you, Cassie." He nodded towards the man on the bed. "We are very sorry to hear about the accident… How is his condition?"

Cassie grabbed onto the man's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's not looking too good… The doctor said it could go either way at this point." She stared at the duo again. "I've never seen you two before. Are you acquaintances of Owen?"

"No, we're not." Lucario felt Spike inch a little closer to him. "To tell you the truth, I am an acquaintance of the boy whom Owen had saved earlier."

At this, her eyes widened, and Lucario could sense a surge of emotion from the Charizard. Though she remained composed, there was that brief instance of anger which flashed in her mind… "Once again, I really am sorry to hear about the accident. I understand this must be a really difficult time for you and the family."

She shook her head. "The family doesn't know yet… The wife and kids are at his in-laws' in Kanto. The police will be contacting them anytime now… How will they feel when they find out what's happened? And… and… what will they think when they hear that he's been contemplating suicide?" Without warning, she broke into a sob. "There hasn't even been any indication he would want to do that!"

"Cassie, please calm down…" he said hurriedly, looking to Spike to see if he could help console her somehow, but the Riolu seemed equally stunned at the sudden breakdown. "We don't know for sure if he was really going to take his own life, right? Owen is only injured now because of the accident – once he has come to, you and his family can try talking him out of it…"

"_If_ he comes to!" Cassie corrected, wiping her eyes once more. "I've been with him all my life… what will I do if he doesn't pull through?"

"Cassie, about that… you see, I believe there may be a way to help him, though I cannot guarantee its success."

She looked up, eyes alit with hope as she grabbed onto Lucario's paw. "What is it? If you have something in mind, please tell me!"

"Well, I have never tried it before, nor do I know of anyone else who has – and I really can't promise there won't be any side effects, although I'm pretty sure it would be safe, since –"

Her eyes narrowed as she relinquished her grip on Lucario's paws. "You're quacks trying to peddle illegal medicine, aren't you?" The Charizard turned to Spike, as though expecting the Riolu to be the carrier of the goods.

"No, no!" Lucario quickly said as he held both paws up. "What I'm suggesting is that I impart some of my aura to Owen."

The fire-type tilted her head, looking extremely doubtful. "Aura?"

"Yes. It is essentially the life force of all living things. Being a Lucario, I can sense and manipulate aura to an extent. By transferring some of my aura over to him, his life force will be able to repair itself, so to speak. This will no longer be possible if we delay too long though."

Cassie brought her claws together, still uncertain. She eyed Lucario once more, as though trying to appraise him. "And you're pretty sure it's safe?"

"Yes," he said with a sideways glance at Spike, who nodded. "In theory, there shouldn't be any problems. However, I would need your permission first – I would never dream of trying it without getting your consent."

"'In theory'…" she repeated, looking torn. "Well, I don't know… I would do anything to make him well again, but… if you've never done it before…" Cassie began to tap her claws as she stared downwards. "In any case, I'm not sure it's my consent you should seek… why not try asking his wife?"

"I could, but if she's in Kanto… I am afraid I'm not proficient enough to articulate in English… I could communicate via telepathy, I suppose, but it would not work over a telephone line."

"Oh…" There were a few more '_click'_s as she tapped her claws again. "All right then. I suppose it's better to try. Just be careful, please?"

"I will," Lucario replied calmly, despite his heartbeat racing once more. He turned to the Riolu, who seemed much more at ease now that he was sure Cassie would not attack out of the blue. "Spike, you know what to do."

Spike stepped out of Lucario's shadow, nodding. The Aura Pokémon gave a gentle pat on the Riolu's shoulder before walking over to the bedside. He closed his eyes as he concentrated on the being right in front of him. It was almost as if a dark curtain had befallen upon the room, blocking out the presence of the two Pokémon besides him as well as the aura emanating from every other person in the hospital.

Right now, it was as though Lucario and this Owen fellow were the only two beings left in the world.

A faint light of pale blue seeped through the darkness, and Lucario focused harder on the source of this glow. The core, in the shape of a small sphere, gave an occasional pulse like an irregular heartbeat.

Suppressing his nerves, the Aura Pokémon summoned forth the aura from within himself, allowing a stream of dark blue light to accumulate in his paws. In comparison, his aura was far more radiant, its glow piercing far into the expanse of blackness. It was a sign of how weak Owen had become, and an indication of what little time they had left.

He had only done it once before, and that was when he transferred a small portion of his aura into his box. The situation now was different in many ways, however. He was dealing with a human this time – a living, breathing creature who had an aura of his own. Furthermore, he would have to transmit a substantial amount of his own life force to ensure that Owen could recover.

_The problem is_, Lucario thought to himself as the aura from his paws began to spring forth to its new home, _just how much is enough?_

Even in the midst of the process, Lucario was fascinated by the interaction between his aura and Owen's. The dark blue light of his aura was forming what appeared to be a spherical shell around the small core, encasing it securely within. Despite this, the pale blue light was still visible through the armour.

Before long, the fighting-type felt his concentration waver as his aura vision became blurry – the lights were blending together, seemingly dancing right in front of him –

"Stop!" he heard a familiar voice yell, and yet he could not register who it was. The vast expanse of darkness, the dancing lights of blue – they all vanished instantly as he felt himself tumbling downwards. His eyelids fluttered open, and through his blurry vision, he could make out an orangey face staring right at him.

"Are you all right?" Cassie asked as she extended a claw.

"Yeah… thank you." He grabbed onto her as she hoisted him back to his feet. The room was spinning slightly, though Lucario managed to turn around just in time to see Spike lying behind him. It would seem that the Aura Pokémon had unwittingly flattened the Riolu. "Oh no… Spike, I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry…" Spike jumped to his feet and dusted himself. "I'm just glad you don't have any spikes on your back."

Lucario glanced at Owen once more. The man looked the same as before, though his aura felt different now. The blue-furred fighter could feel his own aura from the man, which was not surprising. Still, it was an unusual sensation nonetheless, being able to detect his own life force emanating from an external entity.

"So…" the Charizard began nervously, but did not continue.

"I think… I think it went well." Lucario told her before turning to Spike, seeking his opinion.

"Yep," the Riolu cheerfully said. "Everything _should _be fine now. And Lucario, you really need to practise on your self-control. You went a little overboard there."

"Noted." He massaged his temples, trying to refocus his vision. "Thanks for stopping me, by the way. I'm glad you're here."

Spike scratched his head sheepishly as he beamed. "No problem!"

"So, er…" Cassie said again. "What happens now?"

It was Spike who answered. "Now we just wait. There's a good chance of him recovering now. You still need to deal with the whole suicide thing once he wakes up though. If you're not careful, he's going to get himself hurt."

"I understand. I'll keep a close eye on him – I won't let him out of my sight for even a second. Thank you." She turned to Lucario. "And thank you." There was a nervous clicking of paws again, though Cassie seemed much more cheerful now. It was apparent to Lucario that she was desperately clinging on to Spike's words of assurance.

If Owen still failed to pull through… he didn't want to imagine it. "You're really close to Owen, aren't you?"

She smiled weakly. "The bond between trainers and their Pokémon – especially their first one – is always unsurpassable."

Lucario stared at the man in surprise. "He's a trainer?"

"Used to be." Cassie sank onto a small armchair by the bed, her tail curling over the armrest as its flaming tip lay on the floor. She rested her chin on her paw as she gazed wistfully at Owen. "We spent a good few years battling and exploring… but then we decided it just wasn't the life for us. We've settled down here in Ferrous, and he's started a family, but… I guess something must have been eating at him if he's turning to suicide…"

There was a moment of silence. Lucario stared at Owen, wondering what could be the compelling reason which would make him choose to end his life. There was nothing he could do right now though, what with the man being unconscious. "Don't give up hope, Cassie… I'm sure everything will end up fine. I'll drop by again later – I'll just head on out to check on Greg for now. We actually haven't got to see him yet."

She stood up. "Thank you…"

He nodded and made for the door. As he grasped the doorknob, the Charizard called out to Lucario. "And… I wish your friend a speedy recovery as well."

The Aura Pokémon smiled and nodded his thanks. At that instant, he felt the doorknob rattle in his paws, and he relinquished his grip in surprise. The door opened, and he found himself staring face-to-face with an elderly man in a police uniform.

The man's brows shot upwards as he stared at Lucario. He seemed surprised to see the fighting-type there, and even more so when he spotted Spike standing behind. The policeman gave a small smile. "Excuse me."

Lucario hastened to make way for the cop as he strode into the room. The man's eyes flickered towards Owen before he addressed Cassie. The Aura Pokémon shifted his attention over to Gardie, who had trotted in merrily after her human companion.

"Ah… is the questioning over now?" Lucario asked the Growlithe.

"Yup!" Her face contorted into an expression of indignation. "The kid's father has arrived, and we were shown rather unceremoniously to the door. The nerve of some people, really."

"He's probably just distraught over the accident; please don't take it to heart."

"Maybe, but still…" She gave a wag of her tail. "Anyway, you can visit the patient now. The Eevee has already gone right in. Be careful though, or you might get tossed out by that angry man too!"

"We will. Thank you."

Just as how he had been able to sense Cassie's sorrow from a distance, Lucario detected Mr. Cooper's anxiety well before he even reached Greg's room. When the Aura Pokémon knocked and opened the door, the man – sitting on the corner of Greg's bed – positively jumped. Both father and son turned to face the visitors, with Mr. Cooper looking at the fighting-types in alarm. "Who are you?"

At that moment, Eevee came scurrying out of the corner she had been hiding at, trying to indicate without words that Lucario and Spike were friends by standing next to them. Judging by the way Mr. Cooper relaxed his stance, it seemed as though he got the message, though he was clearly still wary.

Lucario gave a short bow to the humans. Though he had known them for quite some time now, this was the first time they had ever met face-to-face. The blue-furred Pokémon walked over to Greg, and he could feel Mr. Cooper tensing up again. Nonetheless, the fighting-type kept his eyes on the boy, trying to ascertain his condition.

Unlike Owen, Greg had been lucky. There were a few visible cuts around his limbs, and his right leg had been put into a cast. He seemed shaken by the event, but not as much as his father. Lucario patted the boy on his wrist, and Greg raised a tentative hand before petting the Aura Pokémon.

Smiling, Lucario then walked back to rejoin his two Pokémon companions. Perhaps finally deciding that they truly were harmless, Mr. Cooper motioned towards a couch by the window. "Please, have a seat."

Lucario nodded and motioned for the others to join him. It was at that moment he was hit with a dizzy spell, but it passed as soon as it came. "So, Eevee," he said to the Evolution Pokémon, who was adjusting her position on the sofa. "Did I miss anything?"

"Well, you missed his entrance." She jerked her head towards Mr. Cooper. "You should've seen him – he was furious. He asked the police officer to leave the moment he entered, and then he talked with the doctor for a while. He's been having a chat with Greg since then."

Lucario looked towards the bed once more. Greg was talking with his father again, but Mr. Cooper seemed oddly distracted. The broken Poké Ball fragment had been placed atop the bedside table, and it would seem that Mr. Cooper had hung his jacket over the chair as well.

Eevee sighed, her ears flat against the back of her head. "I… don't think he's very happy with me."

"Come on, Ee… what makes you say that?"

She shook her head, sporting a small smile. "I was a gift for his son. I 'escaped', and I disappeared from their lives. And now I'm here again, right after his son has been involved in an accident. I suppose I can empathise." There was a small pause as Lucario stared at Eevee. Even Spike was eyeing her quietly through the corners of his eyes. "I still hate the geezer though."

Lucario laughed. "Don't take it to heart," he said, repeating the message he had told Gardie. "He didn't kick you out, did he? That shows he doesn't mind you being here."

"Maybe he's just too preoccupied to vent his anger on me." She pawed the leathery surface of the sofa mindlessly for a moment before her ears pricked up. "I forgot – how's the man who saved Greg?"

"Not so good compared to Greg, but I think he should be fine."

"Lucario gave up some of his aura for him," Spike piped up.

"Spike!"

"I thought Eevee should know. Relax – it's Absol who mustn't be told, isn't it?"

"Wait a minute." Eevee turned to Spike. "'Gave up some of his aura'?" She looked at Lucario. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing, really – I just tried my paws at aura rejuvenation," Lucario assured. "I transferred a little of my aura over to him, so that his own life force could use mine to replenish itself. I'm not too sure on the science behind it, but Spike seems to know quite a lot about the matter."

The Emanation Pokémon held both his paws up. "Whoa, I don't claim to be an expert. I'm still just a Riolu."

"Wouldn't it be bad for your health though?" Eevee asked.

"As long as I don't transfer my entire aura away, I should be fine." Lucario paused. "Ee, please keep this from Absol. He wouldn't let me hear the end of it if he finds out about this."

She considered his words for a moment, looking uncomfortable. "Fine… but Lucario, don't go doing something like this again. I don't like the sound of it." As though fearing she might have had come across as callous, she quickly added, "I mean… I'm not saying it isn't a good thing – helping others – but I just… it sounds like you're –"

"Don't worry," Lucario interjected. "I understand what you're saying. Spike has already briefed me on this. I promise I won't go giving my aura away just to anyone."

"That would be best." She lay down, staring straight ahead at the two humans. Compared to how she was earlier, Eevee seemed a lot more relaxed now. "Giving your aura away… I don't know… does that mean you've permanently lost a part of yourself? Wouldn't your lifespan be shortened?"

Lucario paused, not knowing how to answer. He glanced at Spike, who took the cue right away.

"Since he still has a great chunk of his own aura, Lucario will be able to rejuvenate his life force. It's a slow and long process, but he'll get there eventually."

Eevee stared at Spike, contemplating his words. "So… if aura can be rejuvenated… couldn't any sick person just wait and recover? I mean… that girl from back then – Emily, wasn't it? How was her situation different?"

"Oh, the situation is _very_ different when sickness and injury comes into play. Think of it this way," Spike continued, "an injury or illness will cause aura depletion, and the rate increases with the severity of said ailment. Lucario could have helped Emily, sure, but the depletion rate will still surpass the rejuvenation rate by far because of the illness. At most, he would only be able to buy her some time. He wouldn't have been able to cure her illness."

"So… the man whom Lucario has given a part of his aura…"

"He's in this state because of a sudden injury. Like Emily, his aura is too weak, and cannot rejuvenate. _However_," Spike said wisely, folding his arms and looking important, "since he has already received treatment, the depletion rate will slow down and eventually stop. With the aid of Lucario's aura, he'll be able to recover his own life force at a quicker rate until it reaches a safe level. There'll be a 'net profit' of aura, so to speak. Therefore, if the injury is too severe, it wouldn't work either.

"If Lucario hadn't intervened," Spike continued, "he still might have survived as long as his aura reserve doesn't get completely drained before the depletion stops. But that would be leaving things to the hands of fate, so…"

Eevee nodded slowly. "I see… Well… I've got one more question, and it's about Lucario's box. The one which only he can open… I'm not sure if you've seen it?"

Lucario stared at her in surprise just as Spike said, "I have."

Eevee continued, "Since a part of Lucario's aura now resides in that man, would he be able to open the box?"

"Well, I cannot say for sure…" Spike answered slowly. "I've actually never seen anything like that box before, so I'm not sure how it works. Theoretically, he _should_ be able to open it, since the box would be able to detect Lucario's aura… But this is only for a limited time, because once the man has replenished his own life force, he won't need Lucario's aura anymore. The excess aura would just… fade away."

Lucario blinked. "Really? Where will my aura go?"

Spike stretched his arms wide. "To the atmosphere, I think. It's nice to imagine your aura whooshing about, visiting all sorts of places you've never been to. Who knows, it might even bump into you and be absorbed back into your body. You probably wouldn't even notice anyway."

"Spike, are you sure you aren't making this up?" Lucario asked after a while.

The Riolu looked aghast at the accusation. "No way! I used to ask my parents all sorts of questions about aura. It's actually quite an interesting topic, and it should be taught in schools."

Eevee nodded. "Well… I think I get the gist of it, although honestly, the whole thing is very confusing."

"Yeah, same here," Lucario said, chuckling. "You can be a teacher, Spike."

Spike beamed, his tail wagging lightly. "I would like that! I'd love to boss little kids around! I need to learn how to speak human first though."

The Evolution Pokémon laughed as she looked at Lucario in interest. "And how come you need Spike to explain all that to you? Shouldn't you already know this, being a Lucario?"

"Hey, you've always said I've got a small brain," Lucario replied defensively. "There's only so much I can fit in at once. Besides, I don't know how Spike is able to know so much."

"I've been programmed to excel – physically and mentally!" the Riolu answered brightly.

"I guess I'm a much more laid-back program, then," Lucario said. He gave Eevee a nudge. "Too bad my memory capacity is so small, huh, Ee?"

Eevee shoved him back. "Yeah, yeah. At least you got a smart mouth to compensate for that."

Lucario laughed in response, closing his eyes as he reclined on the sofa. It was an eventful day, but it seemed like everything was fine now, and he was thankful for that. Perhaps the best thing that happened was the fact that he had repaired his relationship with Eevee… In fact, she appeared to be opening up to Spike as well, judging by the conversation they just had.

Having her chat with Greg was the best thing for her after all, though it was unfortunate the accident had to happen. The biggest worry now was whether or not Owen would pull through…

The sound of thunder jolted Lucario out of his thoughts. Poor Absol was left all alone outside the hospital. If they lingered any longer, he might get caught in the rain…

"Well," he said to the other two, "I think it's better if we make a move. Better to reach home before it rains…"

Spike hopped off the sofa right away, but Eevee's gaze turned to Greg. This reminded the Aura Pokémon of something. "Oh yeah… he's supposed to be leaving soon… I'm not sure if his father will stick to their plan now that Greg's injured though." He placed a paw on her back. "But go ahead and stay if you want to, Eevee. I'm sure Greg will appreciate it."

Eevee flicked her tail. "It's fine. Greg needs his father now more than he needs me. Besides, we've already had out chat. We can always meet up again when he comes back."

"But, Ee, don't you think –"

"It's fine, Lucario." The brown-furred Pokémon leapt to the floor to join Spike. "Come on; let's go."

Lucario got up and adjusted his scarf. "If you're sure then…"

Eevee strode over to the bedside and looked up at Greg. The boy, who had been in mid-conversation with his father, paused as he stared at her. Seeing that the Pokémon had got out of the couch, Mr. Cooper stood up and looked round at the group. "Oh… are you leaving already?"

Lucario nodded. Greg reached a hand over the bed to scratch Eevee between the ears. "Thanks for today, Eevee. It's been fun."

The Evolution Pokémon smiled, ears splaying as she gave his hand a quick nuzzle. Feeling that Eevee would not want Lucario to catch this tender moment, the fighting-type turned his gaze away only to find that Mr. Cooper was staring at the group of Pokémon with an odd expression. It was almost as though the man was… sizing them up.

He titled his head slightly, looking back politely. Seeing this, Mr. Cooper opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke to Lucario. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but can I ask you a favour?"

Lucario smiled and nodded.

"Can the three of you stay here tonight? To keep Greg company, I mean," he added hastily. "And… you know, for security as well. You'd be surprised to hear how common thefts are in hospital wards."

Considering that there were no items of particular monetary value in the room, Lucario suspected Mr. Cooper was not being entirely truthful. He was suddenly reminded of the flashback he had seen in Greg's mind – the man had expressed his regret that they had no Pokémon. Still, it was not his business to pry. He had no problem with spending the night away from his cave.

Lucario nodded once more.

"Thank you. You're a big help."

Greg withdrew his hand from Eevee as he turned to stare at his father. "Are you leaving, Dad?"

"Even if I'm here, I'll feel much more at ease with some Pokémon around us." Seeing that his answer had not satisfied Greg, the man gave a heavy sigh. "Yes, I'm leaving. This accident shouldn't have happened, Greg – I'm going to get to the bottom of this, and I'm going to make the one responsible pay."

"Dad, it's all right, I don't need you to do that. Let the police handle it."

"The police? Please, the police in this city can barely handle their paperwork – why else would the crime rate be so high? You shouldn't place your faith in them."

"Are you saying you're going to nab the culprit yourself?" Greg tried to get up. "Dad, please, just let the police do their job, okay? See, the accident just happened, but I've already been questioned by a policeman. They can be efficient sometimes."

"Well…" Mr. Cooper hesitated. "Fine, but I should still drop by the police station to put pressure on them or something."

"Good." Greg leaned back again, looking relieved. "I can rest easy then."

"Get some sleep," Mr. Cooper said. "I'll head out to the station in the meantime. These three will be around if you need anything. Thanks again," he added to the trio of Pokémon.

Lucario bowed his head to indicate that it was no trouble at all. The man got up and walked to the door. "See you later then," he said before leaving.

The Aura Pokémon turned to the other two. "Um… sorry for agreeing to his request without asking you first. If you don't want to stay here, then please, just head back to the forest. I'm sure Mr. Cooper will understand – as long as there is someone here with Greg, he probably wouldn't mind."

"I don't mind!" Spike said. "It's nice to sleep in a room with an air-conditioner once in a while."

Smiling, Lucario turned to Eevee. "How about you?"

"I don't mind either."

"Oh, but you'll have to tell your parents, won't you?"

Eevee thought about it for a moment. "Yeah… I suppose I'd better…"

"Then I'll come with you." He was about to tell Spike to remain there with Greg when Eevee interrupted him.

"You don't have to – I can go by myself. You and Spike can stay here. Strength in numbers, after all."

"Strength in numbers, you say, but you're going to the forest alone. I have an idea: let Absol accompany you."

"That won't be ne—"

Lucario shook his head. "There're four of us, so we can split into two even groups. Come on, let's head out first. Absol must be tired of waiting."

Leaving the Riolu alone with Greg (Lucario had tried explaining to the boy without words that they would be back later), they found Absol in the parking lot. The Disaster Pokémon trotted up to them, trying to read their expressions.

"So, how's the boy?" he asked, looking from Lucario to Eevee.

"He's fine," Lucario answered. "But his father asked us to stay the night, and I've agreed to it. Eevee's going to the forest for a while to notify her parents. Will you accompany her, Absol?"

Absol blinked, his head tilted slightly. "You're staying the night here?"

"Yeah, and so are Eevee and Spike. And Absol, I want _you_ to join us as well."

"Are you kidding me?" the Disaster Pokémon immediately said, clearly startled. "Every single person in the hospital would chase me out with a broom if they realise there's an Absol in their midst!"

Lucario chuckled, waving off the prediction dismissively. "If that happens, at least you'll make the headlines tomorrow. Come on – you'll only be staying in Greg's room. Greg won't mind, and his father would only be happier if more Pokémon were to stay with Greg. It wasn't an offer to stay the night, Absol; it was a _request_. "

Absol didn't protest, but he still looked extremely doubtful. "Okay, so that's two people who won't mind, but I'm not sure if I can even make it to the room without causing a ruckus."

"Just ignore everyone else, and you'll be fine."

"Not if they're carrying brooms."

Lucario folded his arms. "Fine, Sir Stubborn. I'll just hide you somehow, if need be. I'll figure it out later, but since it's getting late, I can assure you there won't be a lot of people up and about. For now, however, can I trouble you to accompany Eevee back to the forest?"

"Fine; there's no winning against you… Major Mulish," Absol said in an air of mock haughtiness, his head held high. "We shall do battle again some other time." He then turned to Eevee rather sheepishly. "Er… well, shall we go then?"

Eevee, who had been watching their exchange in mild amusement, nodded. "Okay."

Lucario smiled as he waved. "See you later then, you two!"

When the two had left, the Aura Pokémon decided to drop by Owen's room again. Gardie and the officer were no longer there, but Cassie was still sitting faithfully by the bed. She looked up immediately when Lucario turned the doorknob, and the fighting-type was pulled into a tight hug the moment he stepped into the room.

"Cassie?" Lucario managed to gasp out, taken completely by surprise.

"Thank you!" Jubilation had apparently overwhelmed the Charizard such that she did not even mind being poked lightly by Lucario's chest spike. "The doctor just dropped by, and he said that Owen's condition has improved! He said that if all went well, he wouldn't be surprised if Owen were to wake up any moment now – isn't that great?"

Lucario tried to pry himself free. "That's… that's fantastic, Cassie… I'm so happy for you…"

She squeezed him a little harder. "And you made it possible! Words cannot express my gratitude!"

"Oh, I think you've expressed it pretty well already…" He gave her an awkward pat on her arm, and was glad when she finally let go. "You shouldn't thank me though; for all we know, his condition might have improved anyway without my help. Really, the doctors have done a good job on him. You should thank them."

"I _have_!" she declared, and Lucario immediately pictured the poor doctor being crushed in a hug – except the man would have gotten it worse, without a chest spike for self-defence. "I'm just so relieved… you have no idea…"

He patted her again, smiling. "I do. Losing a loved one is painful, so it's only natural to be happy now that he's out of danger." Lucario looked at Owen. "I'm glad the accident hasn't done any lasting harm. Perhaps… perhaps you could even say it's a camouflaged blessing…"

Cassie stared at Lucario for a moment as she tried to decipher his statement. "You mean a blessing in disguise? How so?"

"If the accident didn't occur, the suicide note wouldn't have been discovered. Owen might have tried to take his life in another way, and would perhaps have succeeded."

"Oh. I suppose so."

"Has his family been contacted yet?"

She nodded. "The policeman from earlier said that they're coming back immediately."

"I see," Lucario replied, not really hearing what she had said. There was something curious about Owen… The man was still unconscious, without a doubt, but something was different this time: his thoughts were active, albeit only mildly.

Having been through a number of human-watching sessions, Lucario was no stranger to weaving in and out of people's thoughts, but all those people had been awake and healthy. What could an unconscious man like Owen be thinking about?

"Is something wrong?" Cassie asked, perhaps noticing the stunned expression on Lucario's face.

"No, but…" The Aura Pokémon rubbed his chin as he pondered if he should dive into Owen's mind. "Well, I can read people's thoughts, you see… and… Owen's thoughts were empty earlier, but there's something there now…"

The fire-type's face lit up. "That's good news, isn't it?"

Lucario considered it for a moment. "Hmm… yes, I'd say so, but I'm not sure to what extent. I cannot make any promises."

"I understand," she said quickly. "So… what's he thinking about?"

"Um…" He turned to the Charizard. "Would you like me to find out?"

"It might be a good idea to do so, don't you think? I mean, if it's no trouble, of course…"

"Oh, it's no trouble at all," he replied, choosing not to reveal that he was actually curious himself. "I suppose I can take a short peek." Lucario walked over to a chair and sat down. "Well, here I go then. I'm not sure how long it'll take, so please just make yourself comfortable for the time being."

"All right," she said as she sank onto the other chair in the room.

Trying to ignore the fact that Cassie was staring intently at him, Lucario closed his eyes as he dived into Owen's mind. He wasn't quite sure what to expect – while he would normally have been able to see his target's thoughts immediately, the Aura Pokémon found himself staring at nothing but a vast expanse of white for the first few seconds.

It was as though the man's mind was shrouded in a thick veil of mist. Yet, before he could ponder this strange fact, the fighting-type was hit with a sudden gust of chilly wind. Lucario blinked a few times when he saw a blurred shadow in the distance. He squinted as he tried to make out what it was – it seemed to be a building of sorts.

Slowly, the mist seemed to dissipate all around him. Within moments, Lucario could see that he was in a big field of snow, of all places. The area was filled with many dead trees, spaced far apart from one another. There was no sign of Owen, or anyone else.

This was by far the oddest mind-diving experience he ever had.

Figuring it was pointless to just remain idle, Lucario tried to walk a few steps, his feet leaving paw prints on the thick layer of snow. The individual whose mind he was reading would usually show him their thoughts right away – he merely had to watch. Now, though, it was as if the Pokémon was given Owen's mind to explore for himself. He would not be spoon-fed this time. The captain of this ship, so to speak, seemed to be absent.

As Lucario made his way through the snow, hugging himself to protect from the cold, he suddenly heard some heavy footfalls from behind him. Thinking that it was Owen showing up at last, he spun around to find… nothing.

Yet, the sound of footsteps continued slowly, as though someone was gradually creeping up on him. Lucario looked around wildly, trying to find the source of the noise, but to no avail. Panicking a little, he tried to sweep the area with his aura senses, but it did not work. Of course – he was not really there, after all.

The footsteps grew louder, and Lucario let out an involuntary gasp when he finally saw a second set of footprints in the snow.

But there was no one there.

Lucario stared at the footprints silently for a moment. They looked like shoeprints… Then, without warning, a new print appeared in front of it – and another, and another, slowly approaching the dumbstruck fighting-type… each new print was accompanied with the same sound which he had heard earlier…

The footprints were barely a few feet away from Lucario before the fighting-type decided to run. He had no idea what was making the tracks, and he had no intention of finding out.

Lucario sprinted with all his might towards the building. To his horror, he was still being pursued by the invisible stranger, who had also broken into a run. He tried forcing himself to speed up, but the fighting-type almost tripped when he saw what was ahead.

A new set of footprints – one of a Pokémon whom he had no time to identify – was coming right at him from the front.

The Aura Pokémon swerved towards the left and looked behind to find that both sets of footprints had changed their direction as well. Gritting his teeth, he turned back to face the front. If he could just reach the building… would his pursuers follow him there as well?

A sudden explosion in front sent a shower of snow upwards before they rained down on the blue-furred Pokémon. Momentarily stunned, Lucario recovered quickly as he turned towards the right, not wanting to chance the same direction lest another explosion sends him flying.

Just when he was about to get confident, several new sets of tracks appeared all around Lucario, effectively pitting him in the centre of a circle that was slowly closing in. Scanning his surroundings, he could see no other way except to go _through_.

He broke into a run and then leapt up just before he would have collided with the pursuer in front. Lucario landed back on his feet past the invisible chaser, but he continued his sprint without a moment's pause. There was a huge scuffling of snow as several of the pursuers had to turn around, but he paid them no heed.

The building was just a short distance away.

Up close, Lucario saw that the building resembled a school compound. Apart from the main building, there was a field and even a playground. It was, as he had expected, empty – though the seesaw was moving up and down rhythmically, seemingly on its own. He tore his eyes away from it and focused on the main building instead.

The doors were closed, and right in front of it were two pairs of very large footprints. Though they were stationery, their presence indicated to Lucario that the front entrance was not an option. Rushing to the side, the Pokémon found several windows – not caring anymore, he threw a fist and shattered the glass before hastily hopping in.

Oddly, he felt no pain in his paw at all, but he had no time to consider that. Lucario turned around to stare outside the window and check on his pursuers, but the footfalls had stopped. An eerie silence had befallen the vicinity, and there were no footprints on the snow outside, not even his own.

Lucario sank down on the floor and scratched his head. Just what had happened back there? This was the most bizarre mindscape he had ever been to as of yet…

It occurred to him that he really wasn't in any danger at all, since his physical self was sitting safely in the hospital room. No matter how badly beaten he was over here, Lucario would probably suffer no injury, just like how breaking the window was a painless move. Yet… he had to admit the ordeal was still frightening nonetheless.

If there were more surprises to come, Lucario felt he should just call it quits and head back out.

Perking his ears, the Aura Pokémon got back to his feet and looked around the interior of the school. He was about to sweep the place with his aura vision again when he mentally smacked himself for forgetting that his abilities would not work here. Still, he was pretty sure the place was empty… for now.

Aside from the deafening silence, the school appeared quite normal. In fact, it was actually rather well-decorated. The hallway was filled with vases and baskets containing vibrant flowers, all located near the windows for better exposure to sunlight. Notice boards were placed outside each classroom, and several notes and posters were tacked onto the board neatly.

The row of classrooms continued to the end of the hallway, where a set of stairs lead to the second floor. Lucario looked around again, even sniffing the air, but there was no sign of anything that shouldn't be here.

He took a few steps forward, heading to a small door near the entrance. He tried to twist the knob, but the door was locked. Giving up, he walked instead towards the first classroom in the hall. Each time he passed a window, Lucario would turn towards it, but the only sight that greeted him was the picturesque field of snow outside. It seemed that the persistent footprints were history now; not that he was complaining.

Lucario pushed open the door to the classroom and peeked in. Although there was no one inside, there were several bags left around the tables. Some of the chairs were not pushed in properly as well. The teacher's desk at the front was very neat though, complete with a small vase containing a single sunflower. Even the blackboard was clean, with the exception of the word 'Monday' written in chalk at the top corner.

All in all, there wasn't anything unusual about the place.

The Aura Pokémon walked in hesitantly. "Owen?" he called out, hoping to locate the owner of this mindscape. There was no reply, though he wasn't expecting one. Sighing, Lucario went to the nearest seat and pushed the chair properly under the table. If Owen wouldn't talk to him, then there really wasn't any point in lingering around.

Seeing that there was an English textbook on the table, Lucario picked it up and flipped it open. The insides were completely empty – just white sheets of paper rather than proper content. He turned page after page, but there was nothing to be found. Feeling uncomfortable, he placed the book back on the table.

When Lucario looked up again, he gasped as he stumbled backwards, falling onto his behind. A message had been scrawled on the blackboard: "_Who are you?_"

Lucario glanced around wildly, expecting something to spring out at him at any moment, but all was quite still. He glanced at the message again, his breathing heavy. "I… am Lucario. Are you Owen?"

He waited for a moment, expecting a reply, but none came. Uneasiness growing by the second, Lucario got back up and headed for the door quickly. Before he could leave the classroom though, he was met with another unpleasant surprise which made his blood run cold.

While the sun was beaming into the hallway earlier through the many windows, there was absolutely nothing outside now. No sun, no field of snow – just a huge, black void. This effectively plunged the entire school into darkness, with the only sources of illumination being the dim lights placed on the ceiling. As though to add emphasis to this drastic change, the flowers along the corridor had all wilted.

The worst of all, however, was the rattling sound that echoed throughout the hall. Turning to the source of the noise, he found that the knob of the door by the entrance – the one he tried to turn earlier – was shaking. Evidently, someone from within the room was trying to get out… and his instinct told him that he would not want to meet whoever it was.

He could only take so much in one day.

Lucario tore down the hall, heading right for the stairs. Despite putting greater distance between himself and the door, the rattling only became louder, but at least it meant that the stranger was still trapped in the room.

Climbing to the second floor at record speed, the Aura Pokémon was greeted with another hallway much like the one he came from – except that there was an intense light coming from the cracks of the door at the end.

Even more surprising, there was someone curled up by the door: a small boy in a school uniform, hugging his knees. The moment he saw Lucario, he tried to back away. "No – don't come near me!"

Relieved that the boy wasn't some hostile monster in disguise, Lucario quickly made his way forward. "You don't understand – there's something downstairs – we need to get out of here right away!" the fighting-type said in Pokémon language; he figured language would not be a barrier within a mindscape. After all, he was successful in 'communicating' with Kip back then.

"Don't try to fool me!" The boy stood up, staring at Lucario with wide, frightened eyes. "_You_ are one of _them_! Stop! Stop coming closer!"

Lucario halted – he was but a short distance away from the kid. He held up his paws. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm only here to look for Owen. Do you know where he is?"

"Stop lying – you already know that I'm Owen!" he said, pressing his back against the door.

The Aura Pokémon narrowed his eyes. "You're Owen? Well, I suppose it's possible to take on any physical appearance inside your own mind…"

Owen did not seem to have heard what Lucario said. "I know who you are. You're Jack's Pokémon, aren't you? He always told me he had a Lucario, but I never believed him. Look – I'm sorry, all right? I'll make it up somehow – just leave me alone… please…"

"Owen, please calm down – I don't know who Jack is, and I most certainly am not his Pokémon, but –"

"Then whose Pokémon are you?" Owen yelled, his voice almost drowned out by the thunderous rattling from downstairs. "What do you want from me?"

"I'm not anyone's Pokémon; I'm wild! Listen – look around you – this place is a manifestation of your thoughts, and clearly, it's not an ideal spot for a conversation. Can you… er… change the setting for a moment? I really need to have a small chat with you."

Even before the Aura Pokémon had finished talking, Owen was already covering his ears and shaking his head. "Liar, liar, liar, liar, _liar_! You're trying to trick me! I know your lot has gathered all around the place, looking for me!"

"There are a lot of strange creatures around all right, but I assure you I'm not one of them. Who _are_ they anyway?"

The boy brushed his auburn hair aside, staring at Lucario with wide, frightened eyes. "They've been after me for days now. I know it's only a matter of time before… before they get me… I know I should face up to the music, but… I'm scared… I'm sorry…"

"Okay, look, I need you to calm down." Lucario looked behind him; the rattling had ceased, but it was quickly replaced by furious poundings. "This place isn't real, Owen! You're an adult, and you're currently in a coma – Cassie's waiting for you!"

Owen stood still, stunned. The name seemed to have an effect on him, though he still seemed confused. "No…" he said at last, clutching his head. "You're insane… I've no idea what you're saying…"

"I know it sounds crazy, but –"

"I accept my fate. If you're here to kill me, then just do it!" he yelled, and upon his outburst, a huge crash came from downstairs.

Lucario looked behind again in alarm. Heavy footsteps were echoing around the building – the creature was moving slowly, but surely. He dashed forward and grabbed Owen by the arm before attempting to open the door. As he had expected, it refused to budge.

Owen shook his head. "It won't work… this door will never open… I've already tried…"

"It must!" Lucario shouted, attempting to break the door down through punches and kicks. "Come on!"

"Give up… I'm just going to die here…"

Lucario turned to the boy. "Owen – I need you to think that this door isn't locked – can you do that?"

Owen tried to pry Lucario's arm away. "The door _is _locked. It's meant to keep me here. If you're truly not one of _them_, then you're just at the wrong place at the wrong time. I suggest you hide, unless you want to die together…"

"I refuse to die in someone else's mind! Come on, I'm not asking the impossible…" He pointed at the door exasperatedly. "Just believe, even if for a moment, all right? It's just a flimsy door! The only one keeping you here is yourself!"

"It's just not logical to think that a locked door isn't locked."

Lucario actually growled in frustration – the creature seemed to be making its way up the stairs now. "I'm begging you, Owen, just do it!"

"But why?"

Deciding to change tacks, the Aura Pokémon channelled his inner Eevee and shot Owen a glare, baring his fangs as well for good measure. "Now!"

The boy's eyes went wide as he gaped, clearly not expecting this sudden flare-up from Lucario. Just as the fighting-type was beginning to feel guilty, there was a click from the door. The two of them turned to stare at it at the same time, and Lucario hurriedly tried the knob again.

This time, the door opened, causing a sudden burst of light to fill the corridor. It was too bright to see what lay beyond, but with the footsteps sounding hurried now, Lucario wasted no time in pulling Owen through with him.

No sooner had he stepped through the door than Lucario began to fall. The school faded away, swallowed up by the blinding light as the two were left to plummet down a complete void of white. Barely a few seconds passed before even the light dissipated, and soon they were shrouded in total darkness.

"Owen, can you think of a nice place where we can have a chat – perhaps a forest, a beach, or a lakeside? Please?" When the boy did not reply, Lucario turned around. There was no one with him; Owen had disappeared along with everything else. "Owen? Are you there?"

After a while, Lucario grew tired of the perpetual descent. Given the empty mindscape, he figured that Owen's thoughts had gone blank again. There was no point in sticking around for the time being, and so the Aura Pokémon decided to head back out.

Cassie was the first thing he saw the moment he opened his eyes – he jolted upright in his seat before he realised it was only her.

The Charizard stared at him in concern. "Are you all right? You were breathing quite heavily…"

Lucario straightened himself up on the chair. "I had a couple of scares, but I'm fine. Thanks."

"That's good." She paused for a moment. "So… did you get to see what he's thinking?"

"Yeah – and I even managed to talk to him for a bit, though he doesn't seem to be aware of his current state."

"What do you mean?" Cassie asked anxiously. "He doesn't remember the accident?"

"I guess you could say that he was dreaming… He was assuming the form of his past self."

"I don't understand."

Lucario scratched his head as he thought about how best to explain. "In his mind, he was still a child. I wouldn't worry too much about it – you know how realistic dreams can get. That dream is gone now, but I'll come back later and try checking his mind again. Maybe I'll get to meet the adult Owen."

Despite his assurance, the Charizard didn't seem too comforted. "And how was Owen?"

"Well… he seemed really frightened." The Aura Pokémon hesitated. Though the whole ordeal inside Owen's mind had been confusing, he was starting to make some sense of it. There really was only one explanation he could think of… "Actually, Cassie, can I ask you a rather personal question? I understand if you don't wish to answer it."

She nodded. "If it'll help Owen, I'll answer as best as I can."

"When Owen was still schooling… was he… well, was he a victim of bullying?"

Cassie was taken aback at the question. Her mouth fell open as she stared at the fighting-type in silence, waves of uneasiness radiating from her being.

"I understand if you don't want to answer," he repeated quickly, but the Charizard shook her head.

"I'll answer," she said softly. "No, he wasn't bullied." She turned to the man on the bed silently.

"Oh…" Lucario studied her expression, wondering if she was telling the truth. Before he could say anything else, she spoke up again.

"_He_ was the bully," Cassie said in a whisper, as though she was afraid someone else would hear. She spun quickly to the Aura Pokémon. "But I assure you he's changed! He's not like that anymore! And I cannot stress just how much he regrets it – you have no idea…"

"He was a bully?" Lucario asked, stunned by the revelation.

"_Was_," she reiterated. "And it's been eating him, Lucario, please believe me!"

"Don't worry; I believe you." Surprising as the news was, it made sense. Perhaps Owen's remorse was too huge to the point where it would haunt him even in his coma. But was it the reason behind the suicide note? Lucario highly doubted so.

"I hope you don't think too badly of him," Cassie continued miserably. "He keeps on telling me how he wished he could turn back time and change how he was."

"Turning back time, huh…" Lucario scratched his muzzle. Was that why he had reverted to a child in that dream? "Well, I don't think time travel is a feasible option, but it's never too late to change."

"That's what I keep telling him – except he never listens, because he's a human who can't understand Pokémon talk."

"I can convey the message if you want. Since my mind will be linked to his, he'll be able to understand me."

She blinked in surprise. "Really? Can you also tell him to hurry and wake up?"

Lucario smiled and gave a small nod. "I could, but I'm not sure how much control he has over his condition. In any case, he didn't believe me earlier when I told him he was in a coma. There's nothing left to be done except to wait."

He stood up from the chair. "I suggest you get some sleep, Cassie. You look exhausted."

"No, I'm not. I just want to be here when he wakes up." She took hold of Lucario's paw. "Thanks for coming again; I really appreciate it. And… I forgot to ask. How's your friend?"

"Greg? He's doing very well – thank you for asking. My biggest concern right now is this guy here," he said, nodding towards Owen. "All the same, I should head back to check on him. See you soon, Cassie."

Once they bade farewell, Lucario headed back to where Spike and Greg were waiting. The boy was reading a magazine he had gotten from somewhere, while the Riolu was busy fiddling with the sofa.

Lucario walked up to the Emanation Pokémon, watching as he shifted the sofa away from the wall slightly. "Spike, what are you doing?"

Spike wagged his tail as he pulled away the cushions and shoved them into the Aura Pokémon's paws. "Magic!"

Without another word, he twiddled with the seat before unfolding it, effectively transforming the couch into a bed. The Riolu spread out his arms, looking proud of himself. "Ta-dah!"

Lucario stared at the sofa in surprise. "Wow! It does that?"

"Yeah, it's a sofa-bed! Since we're going to be sleeping here, I figured we should make ourselves comfortable." Spike took back the cushions from Lucario and placed them neatly back. "The nurse dropped by earlier, and I successfully persuaded her to get some blankets here."

He pointed to the bedside table, where a stack of folded blankets had been placed. "Only two, but they're quite large, so we could share. Besides, we have fur."

Lucario ran his paws through the white blankets, an idea slowly forming in his head. "Say… you don't mind if I borrow one of these, do you?"

Spike cocked his head. "No, but what are you planning to do with it?"

"Well…"

Roughly half-an-hour later, Lucario detected the presence of Eevee and Absol just outside the hospital. He rushed out to greet them, bringing along one of the blankets with him. Eevee was first to greet the Aura Pokémon when he walked out of the entrance, while Absol trailed behind, looking up at the hospital doubtfully.

Absol shifted his gaze to the fighting-type. "So… how are you going to sneak me in?"

Lucario held out the blanket. "Using this! You can wrap yourself around it, and then walk to the room."

The Disaster Pokémon did not seem to like the idea. "And bounce into walls along the way?"

"I suppose you could let me carry you, if you want."

Absol pondered for a moment. "Yeah… I think I'll take my chances with the wall, thank you very much."

"You should still be able to see my feet if you follow right behind me. Just try to keep up."

And so Absol was escorted into the hospital, looking very much like a cloud. "He looks more like an oversized mop, if you ask me," Eevee commented when Lucario voiced his opinion.

"I feel like a Mareep who really should be sheared any day now," came Absol's muffled voice from under the blanket.

Lucario laughed lightly. "Don't worry – I'll shear you when we reach Greg's room."

True to Lucario's guess, they didn't bump into too many people, although the group received many odd stares all around. Absol managed to avoid bumping into walls, although an accident almost happened in the elevator when the door very nearly snagged onto the end of the blanket.

Still, they made it to the room in one piece. Absol shook the blanket off him with a sigh of relief while Greg sat still, stunned at the arrival of a new Pokémon. He didn't seem to mind though – once the shock was over, he even beckoned the Disaster Pokémon over to rub his head.

"The presence of Pokémon can have a therapeutic effect on patients," Lucario said wisely. "See, Absol, you're only making things better by being present."

"I just hope the nurses and doctors share your view," Absol answered. "If one of them walks in and sees me here…"

"They wouldn't dare chase you out. They'll probably think you're part of Greg's team."

"They might not be happy about how crowded this room is though."

Lucario glanced around. Eevee was comfortably perched atop one of the cushions on the sofa while Spike had gotten himself tangled up inside one of the overly-large blankets, playfully struggling around as he tried to break free. The Aura Pokémon himself was sitting on the edge of the unfolded sofa-bed, and Absol was by Greg's side. If Mr. Cooper were to return at this moment, it would be quite packed indeed.

The fighting-type chuckled. "The more the merrier, right?"

"Maybe, but you'd think we were throwing a party here or something."

"Speaking of parties, it's around dinnertime." Lucario glanced out the window – it was already dark out. "I've not brought any money from the cave…"

Spike perked his ears. "Money? I nearly forgot!" He burst free from the grasps of the evil blanket and dashed to the bedside table. When he turned around again to face Lucario, he was holding a crisp paper note. "Ta-dah!"

Lucario stared at the cash in surprise. "Whoa, Spike, more magic?"

"Greg gave it to me earlier, telling me to go buy something to eat. Since no one else was around though, I remained here like a good sentinel. Now that everyone's arrived, let's go to the cafeteria!"

"Oh, but I really shouldn't be using his money… I suppose we've no choice today, but I'll pay him back tomorrow." Lucario turned to the boy, and was just about to mime that he would return the money the next day when Eevee called out to him.

"Drop it, Lucario." She raised her head from the cushion to look at him. "He's got plenty of cash to spare."

"But –"

"It's all right to let others treat you once in a while."

"Hmm… all right then…" He accepted the money from Spike. "Should I get something for Greg as well?"

"He'll have hospital food," Absol chimed in. "But I cannot guarantee he'll like it. TV shows often depict it as something horrible."

"Probably exaggerated, but I'll just buy something extra so he can eat it later if he wants. So… I don't have a menu with me, but what would you all like to eat?"

"Something light," Absol said.

Eevee was next. "Something edible."

"I'm following you," Spike declared, sticking close to the Aura Pokémon.

Lucario nodded. "Light, edible, following. I think I got it. I'll see you in a while. Come on then, Spike."

The hospital in the late evening was a picture of calmness and quietude, a clear contrast to the hustle and bustle in the day. There were still patients waiting for the late-shift doctors, but the numbers had dwindled.

On the way to the cafeteria, Lucario thought back to his mind-diving session earlier. It was a very different experience compared to every other time he read someone's mind, and who better to ask about it than the Riolu who had been programmed to excel?

"Spike, how much do you know about mind-reading?"

The Riolu turned to him curiously. "I dunno. I've never done it before… My abilities are rather limited for the time being."

"I understand, but there's something troubling me about Owen, and perhaps you could shed some light on that…"

"What is it?"

Lucario hesitated, trying to find the right way to phrase his question. "Usually, when I enter someone's mind, I get to see or hear that person's thoughts. If they're thinking about a past event, I get to see that event play out. However, it was different with Owen."

Spike tilted his head. "How so?"

"Well…" He paused again. "It was as though his mind was a place, and I was actually in it. I could walk around and explore… and interact with the objects around. Why is this so?"

"Hmm… it might have to do with the fact that he's in a coma," Spike pointed out.

Lucario thought about it for a moment. The Emanation Pokémon had a point – he had, after all, mused about it earlier as well. He had never dived into the mind of someone unconscious before. It might not even have been possible initially, seeing as Owen's mind had been devoid of thoughts prior to Lucario's attempt at aura rejuvenation. Perhaps the mindscape of an unconscious person worked in different ways?

"Or maybe it's because you've given him a part of your aura," Spike continued. "There's a special bond between the two of you now, after all. In a way, you have a certain amount of control over his mind. That might explain why you could manipulate the things inside it."

The Aura Pokémon stared at Spike in wonder. "Really? That can happen?"

"Oh, I can't say for sure." Spike grinned sheepishly. "I'm just throwing out wild theories here. I'm not even sure if there's anyone who can answer your question."

"I understand. Your theories sound plausible though. You're probably right," Lucario said, and Spike beamed in response. "There's actually something else that worried me though. There seems to be some… creatures… inside the mindscape that are out to get me. I can't get injured by them though, right?"

Spike waved a dismissive paw. "No danger, probably. Perhaps Owen could sense someone else intruding upon his mind, so those creatures are some sort of defence mechanism or something. Even if you're killed in there, you'll most likely just be ejected from his mind. Of course, forceful ejection might lead to a small headache, but still…"

They lapsed into silence as Lucario pondered the Riolu's words.

The cafeteria was quite empty, save for a few patrons who were having their dinner there – most of them seemed to be nurses and doctors, judging by their attire. The fighting-type duo headed over to check out the selection of food available, which was surprisingly quite impressive.

Seeing as Absol and Eevee were only seeking something light and edible, Lucario decided to purchase a few packets of pre-packed berry buns, figuring that Greg could have one too for supper.

While Lucario looked at the other pastries available, Spike was busy picking out refrigerated desserts. In the end, the Riolu padded back to the Aura Pokémon with several packets of chocolate-flavoured yoghurt. "These are good – you should try them."

He placed the buns on the counter for the cashier before adding the yoghurts to the lot. "I'll take your word for it then."

Once they had made their purchase, the two headed back to the room. There was a tray of food besides Greg – it seemed that the nurse had dropped in while Lucario was gone. "So, what was the nurse's reaction when she saw you?" the Aura Pokémon asked Absol, placing the bag of food on the table.

Absol tore his eyes away from the bag and shook his head. "I was hiding, actually." He jerked his head towards the blanket on the sofa-bed. "I was a cloud again."

"Well, you can't be a cloud forever. You certainly can't use the blanket again when we're leaving the hospital."

The Disaster Pokémon looked at Lucario in horror. "I haven't thought of that! How are you going to get me out now?"

He chuckled lightly. "Let the others see you. Since we'll be leaving anyway, it won't matter if they come after you with brooms, right?"

"Fine – but it'll mean we're all going to be put into the hospital blacklist," Absol said with a mock sigh. "You'll never be able to enter this building again."

Lucario tossed a bun each to Spike and Eevee. "I'll see if I can get another disguise. Maybe I can find one of those glasses with a giant plastic nose attached." He handed a bun over to the white-furred Pokémon.

Absol ripped apart the packaging with a claw. "Yeah. I bet that'll work."

"Sure it would." The fighting-type handed a bun and yoghurt to Greg, but the boy declined. He left them on top of Greg's tray anyway. "It'd look really good on you."

Feeling that it was best to consume the yoghurt while it was still cold, Lucario took one and removed the cover. Much to his surprise, there was a miniature plastic spoon attached to the underside of the lid. With his large paws, the blue-furred Pokémon had difficulty in removing it, but he managed to do so after a few attempts.

Lucario was reminded instantly of ice-creams when he took his first spoonful – it explained Spike's fascination with this dessert, if anything. The chocolate used by this particular manufacturer was rich and creamy, and the little chunks of berries were thankfully sweet and oozing with flavour. The coolness of the yoghurt as it slid down his throat was perhaps the best part of all, and he quite believed this was one of the best desserts available in the market.

"This really is good," Lucario said to Spike.

The Riolu nodded brightly. "They are, aren't they? I eat them whenever I can!"

He laughed, giving Spike a nudge. "Do you go around the shops everyday, acting cute so they would give you free dessert or something?"

"Er… well…" Spike coughed and scratched his head, looking awkward. "When I say 'whenever I can', I don't exactly mean –"

"Relax, I was just pulling your feet. Thanks for introducing this dessert; I might have just found my new favourite food."

Spike grinned. "I'm glad you liked it! They're my favourite too! To tell you the truth, I've always dreamed of visiting the factory where they produce this stuff. Maybe they'd give me a crateful as a souvenir."

Lucario paused as he mulled over what the Riolu had mentioned. "Well, do invite me when you plan on going. Maybe I could get one too."

"The cave isn't refrigerated, Luc," Absol piped up, crumbs of bread sticking around his mouth. "You'd need to finish the whole crate quickly… assuming they would give you one in the first place."

The Aura Pokémon scratched his chin. "Hmm… I wish my cave had electricity. I mean – life is pretty comfortable now, but imagine what it could be like… we could have a refrigerator, a television set, and everything."

Absol grinned as he shook his head. "You really are turning into a human." He paused for a while. "Actually, if you really want to, I'm sure Celia would be happy to have you stay over at her home every once in a while. It's the closest you can get to staying at a human's house without being captured by one."

Lucario nodded in agreement, finding himself excited at the very idea. "I would like that. I'm sure Umbreon would appreciate the company as well… er… _your_ company, I mean."

"If you want to stay at a house, you should come over to Canalave!" Spike interrupted brightly. "Trust me; the sound of running water is extremely pleasing to the ears. Some houses even have a stream running through them."

"That sounds nice… but I don't know anyone there. I doubt we'd find a human who would allow stray Pokémon like us into his or her home."

Spike tapped himself on the chest. "I'm a Riolu. You're a Lucario. Then we have Absol and Eevee too. We aren't exactly common species… I bet you'd find a trainer who would love to have us. Don't forget there's a Pokémon gym in Canalave – there are a number of trainers residing there as well."

Absol replied without hesitation, "Yeah, and we'd wake up in Poké Balls."

Almost at the same time, Eevee gave a small huff. "No thanks. The risk's too big. If it's the sound of water you like, just stay at my cave."

The Riolu tossed Eevee an enquiring look. "Your cave? What's it like?"

As Eevee launched into a quick description about her home, Lucario turned to Greg. The boy had begun eating his food, quietly observing the Pokémon as they chatted among themselves. The Aura Pokémon started to feel guilty for leaving the boy out of their conversations, but he couldn't see how he could let Greg join in.

For Greg's sake, Lucario hoped that Mr. Cooper would return soon.

**:::::::::::::::::::**

Lucario awoke the next day shivering slightly despite the thick blanket covering him. It was the first time he had ever slept in an air-conditioned room, and he was not used to it. He had to admit the pillows and blankets were comfortable though. Plus, he was grateful that he did not have any nightmares, especially after what he had been through.

Gently pushing the dozing Spike – who had cuddled up to him – away, the Aura Pokémon gazed drowsily around the room.

Everyone else was still sleeping soundly, including Greg. It would seem, unfortunately, that Mr. Cooper had yet to return. Just what was he doing? Was he still at the police station? Or… had he come back late at night only to find that there was no room to accommodate him?

The Aura Pokémon walked over to the bed and stared at the boy for a while. His breathing seemed normal, and his aura was fine. All was well.

Relieved, Lucario's thoughts turned to Owen. Had his condition changed overnight? Perhaps he should go and take a look, but he wasn't sure if he should head out now or wait until someone in the room had awaken first.

His dilemma was solved right away when Absol stirred, the dark-type's eyelids only half-opened as he threw Lucario an unfocused stare.

"Morning," the Aura Pokémon greeted just as Absol sat up to stretch.

"For a moment, I was wondering where we were." Absol yawned, hopping off the sofa. "Feels strange not to wake up in the cave."

Lucario walked back towards the couch and sat on it. "It does, doesn't it? But a change of scenery once in a while isn't all that bad," he said in a whisper so as to not disturb the others. "Did you get enough sleep?"

"Luc, if you're awake before me, I've had plenty of sleep. Though…" The white-furred Pokémon turned to the window. The sun was just starting to rise. "Why did you wake up so early anyway?"

"I don't know – I just did."

"You _did_ sleep, didn't you?"

Lucario nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, it probably isn't enough. Go on; sleep again – I'll guard the room whilst you do so. Unless a nurse comes in, in which case I'll hide."

"Actually, I'm thinking of visiting Owen – that's the guy who got knocked down along with Greg," he added at the confused look on Absol's face. He had only briefly explained about Owen the night before, for fear that the Disaster Pokémon would find out about Lucario's attempt at aura rejuvenation. "I just want to make sure he's all right."

"Ah. Okay then. I'll just wait here."

Lucario nodded. "Thanks, Absol. Keep an eye on everyone for me."

Walking down the brightly-lit corridors, Lucario noticed that the hospital was tranquil in the morning as well. Some of the nurses he had seen the night before were still around, though they looked as though they were just about to end their shift. A few of them even recognised him, greeting the Aura Pokémon as he passed by.

From the little window outside Owen's room, Lucario saw that Cassie was already up and about. The Charizard was looking rather cheerful despite the somnolence emanating from her. Owen, unfortunately, was still unconscious, although his aura was quite stable.

When the fire-type spotted Lucario, she beamed and opened the door to greet him. "Good morning!"

"Good morning," Lucario replied as he studied the Charizard. "Cassie, you didn't sleep at all, did you?"

She grinned. "I did doze off for a while; that counts, doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't," the Aura Pokémon replied as he pushed her towards a chair. "I'm here now, so go ahead and get some shut-eye. I think I'll try looking into his mind again."

"Oh, but I won't be able to sleep then! I'll be too anxious to hear the results."

Lucario folded his arms and smiled. "Well, maybe I won't then."

Cassie huffed as she sank into the chair. "Fine – I'll get some rest, but only _after _you're done reading his mind."

"Okay, fair enough." Lucario took a seat by the bed and scanned Owen's aura again. His thoughts were active once more, and thus it would be possible for the fighting-type to dive into the man's mind. The only problem was what he would find inside… After his experience yesterday, the blue-furred Pokémon had to admit he was a little apprehensive about reading Owen's thoughts again.

"Um…"

Lucario turned to Cassie, who was twiddling her claws.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, staring at him intently.

"Oh, no – nothing at all." Steeling his nerves, the Aura Pokémon closed his eyes and leaned back on his chair. Taking a deep breath, he took his plunge.

Like before, a thick veil of mist shrouded his vision, preventing the blue-furred Pokémon from ascertaining his current environment. Lucario braced himself for the rush of cold wind, believing that he would emerge in the snowy landscape once again. However, he was greeted instead by warm, dusty air as the mist evaporated.

Blinking, the Aura Pokémon glanced around warily. He appeared to be inside some sort of building, though it was quite dark, and the silence was deafening. As he examined his surroundings further, he realised that he was in the lobby of a mall.

The shops around were unlit, but the doors were left wide open. Oddly, none of the shops' signs had any words on them. As though the situation was not bizarre enough, the entire mall seemed to consist of only a few stores, constantly repeating in the same sequence. And of course, there was not a soul in sight.

Sighing to himself, Lucario took a tentative step forward, wincing as the sound of his footstep reverberated around the building. Pausing to see if his movement had caused any change in the environment, the Aura Pokémon suddenly noticed something high above him.

On what appeared to be the highest floor of the building, a signboard from a shop was flickering, emitting a faint green light. Lucario squinted, trying to see if there was anyone there, but he was just too far away. Although nervous, he figured that he should probably head up there and find out for himself if Owen was lurking in that vicinity.

Turning around, Lucario saw that none of the escalators were moving. Strangely, however, the elevators nearby seemed to be functioning – there was a red "G" on the displays above them. The Aura Pokémon carefully padded over and pressed the 'up' button, causing the doors to open with a _ding_.

The lights in the elevator were not working either, with the exception of the LCD monitor within. Not giving it much thought, Lucario walked in and immediately pressed the button for the highest floor. It was only when the doors began to close did he get a sense of foreboding – he immediately reached out a paw to prevent the doors from shutting, but it was too late.

With a thud, Lucario was trapped in the elevator. His eyes turned to the only source of light, although the red "G" on the monitor did very little to illuminate the chamber. Frustrated with himself, the Aura Pokémon clenched his fists as he watched the monitor while the elevator moved upwards. If something were to attack now, he wouldn't have anywhere to run to…

Lucario waited with bated breath as the number on the screen incremented slowly. Just when the agonising journey had reached the halfway mark, there was a loud crash, and the elevator jerked to a halt. The fighting-type almost lost his footing, but quickly stood upright in a fighting stance. He knew something was bound to happen sooner or later.

And to think he had always loved riding elevators. He was probably going to have nightmares about them now.

The red number on the display flickered and dimmed before disappearing altogether, and now Lucario was left in total darkness. Tensed and fearful, the Aura Pokémon perked his ears and felt around with his paws, but he was completely alone. After a moment, a new fear took over: what if he was trapped in this dark, narrow chamber for all of eternity?

Just when the fighting-type reminded himself that he could easily leave Owen's mind anytime he desired, the LCD monitor sprang back to life, although it was displaying a bunch of random numbers which changed by the second. Apart from that, there was a strange crackling sound which appeared to be coming from outside the elevator. Lucario listened closely – it seemed to be getting louder, as though its source was swiftly approaching him.

_Ding_.

The elevator door opened, and the Aura Pokémon barely ducked in time as a great ball of fire shot over his head. Lucario leapt out just as the fireball smashed into the wall, erupting into tiny embers which then proceeded to raze the tiny compartment. In an instant, the elevator had transformed into an oven. Lucario laughed mirthlessly – perhaps that's what the 'ding' was for.

Lucario tore his eyes away from the flames and turned towards the front. The fireball seemed to have come from nowhere – he was completely alone in the corridor. Nonetheless, he felt safer now that he was out of the lift. His eyes strayed upwards, doing a quick calculation of how many floors he would have to climb in order to reach the top.

Upon realising that he was merely four floors away, Lucario fled towards the nearest escalator, climbing it at top speed. The fireball was a clear indication that he was – once again – unwelcome in Owen's mindscape, and who knew what else would happen if he were to dawdle.

The next escalator was located conveniently besides the previous one. After hiking up another two levels, Lucario paused in his tracks. Something was wrong, and he immediately found out why the moment he looked up again: he was back where he started. The top level remained four floors up.

Was this the defence mechanism which Spike had talked about? Stunned, Lucario turned his gaze towards the elevators. There was no fire anymore, but he was certain this was the same lift he rode earlier. Perhaps he was supposed to ride the elevator to the top after all? It wasn't something he was looking forward to though, and he had a feeling it would not work either.

Now in a complete stalemate, the Aura Pokémon decided to try the escalators one last time. Since he had been somehow transported back to the same floor when he was not paying attention, he figured he could try keeping his eyes on the top floor as he made his way up this time.

Lucario was just about to carry out his plan when a sudden blow knocked him to the ground. The next thing he knew, a fireball was zooming towards him – he rolled out of the way and leapt to his feet. Unlike before, the assailant had chosen to reveal herself this time…

"I am not your enemy… Cassie…"

Though the Charizard snarling in front of him was identical in appearance to the friendly Cassie waiting for him in the hospital room, Lucario knew this particular dragon was just a figment of Owen's imagination. The fire-type glowered at the Aura Pokémon, not uttering a word. The magnificent blaze on her tail was bright enough to illuminate the surrounding area, though it also made Cassie look a lot more intimidating – not to mention menacing.

When she continued to remain silent, Lucario spoke up, "I just want to have a chat with Owen. Do you think you can take me to him?"

The Charizard did not respond; instead, she seemed to have frozen in place, as though she was a robot which had just been shut down. Thinking that it would be a better idea to just leave her be, Lucario quickly darted towards the escalator. Unfortunately, his movement did not go unnoticed – he leapt aside as another fireball whizzed past him.

Changing tacks, the dragon's wings stretched and gave a mighty flap as Cassie slowly hovered above the ground. With a roar, she then sped towards the Aura Pokémon, who quickly spun around and ran the other direction. The dragon was faster than him though, almost nabbing him by the tail with her claws.

Aware that he would not be able to outrun her, Lucario made a sharp turn towards the shop closest to him. Though he had no time to examine the store in full detail, it seemed to be a boutique which mainly catered to women – although it was hard to tell since every piece of clothing in the store was the exact same dress.

Wanting to buy some time, Lucario shoved a mannequin down as he ran, hoping that it would impede the Charizard's way. However, nothing would stop the fake Cassie, who merely crashed through everything in her path.

Just as the dragon was gaining on him once more, Lucario noticed a door at the end of the boutique. Dashing through it, he was momentarily stunned to find that he had been warped back to the entrance of the store.

Cassie's roar jolted him back to his senses, and he ran again only to find himself by the escalators. Gritting his teeth, he realised that there was no way he could shake the dragon off.

He spun around – the fire-type was gliding at full speed towards him. Lucario bended his legs and sprang upwards before landing directly on Cassie's back just as she swooped past.

The dragon flew around clumsily as she tried to reach back and pull Lucario off, but the Aura Pokémon held on tightly while dodging her grasps. Cassie was hovering past the guardrails now, and if he were to fall, he would drop all the way to the ground floor. Apparently having the same thought, the Charizard began to thrash in midair.

When that didn't work, Cassie stooped forward before nose-diving straight towards the ground floor. The wind whipped Lucario's fur wildly and he squeezed his eyes shut as he braced for the impact – but the Charizard seemed to have a change of plan yet again. Right before crashing onto the ground, she swerved upwards instead, going right for the ceiling.

If she were to hit the roof, the impact might be strong enough to shake him off, and he would then plummet to his figurative doom… Not wanting that, Lucario readied himself – when they were near the top, he leapt off her back, barely managing to grab onto the guardrails on the top floor. As he hoisted himself over, he heard a loud crash as Cassie collided with the ceiling.

That was immediately forgotten when he saw who was in front of him: Owen, completely adult this time, trembling as he slowly backed away from the Aura Pokémon.

"Owen! I'm so glad I found you!" Lucario called out. "You remember me, right? I was just here yesterday!"

The man evidently did not remember. "Cassie! _Cassie_! Come back, quick!"

"No – please, I'm not going to attack you! I just want to have a talk!"

A roar resounded from behind him, and the Aura Pokémon gulped as he turned around. Cassie was back, looking incredibly angry. For some reason though, her glare was directed straight at Owen instead – the man stood rooted to the spot, staring at her with his mouth agape.

"Cassie?" he asked meekly, his voice barely audible.

Lucario stared between the two. This development confused him greatly – why was the imaginary Cassie targeting Owen now? This was his mindscape; he would have to be the one controlling the Charizard…

Cassie dove towards Owen and swiped her claws at him. She narrowly missed, though in his haste to get away, the man tripped and fell backwards. The fire-type landed and tilted her head upwards as flames gathered in her mouth. Figuring that he had better step in, Lucario made his way towards her only to be knocked down by her tail.

The dragon spun around and snarled at Lucario before making a dash towards the Aura Pokémon. He quickly got back to his feet and launched a Force Palm – although it connected with her torso, it did not seem to faze her at all. The blue-furred Pokémon drew his fist back before delivering a heavy punch, but Cassie managed to dodge the attack by flying upwards.

Lucario tried grabbing her leg to pull her back down, but Cassie soared past his head and over the guardrails, far out of his reach. Just as he turned around to face her, he found a fireball zooming straight towards him. Out of instinct, the Aura Pokémon thrust his arm forward to shield himself.

There was a flash of blue as a massive orb of aura burst out from his palm. The sphere crashed into Cassie's right wing, and she roared as she attempted to stay afloat with her left. Her efforts were futile though, and she began to plummet out of sight. Lucario rushed forward to the guardrails and peered down, but the Charizard had vanished completely.

Utterly confused, Lucario stared at his paws. Where did that Aura Sphere come from? He had never made one so big before, not to mention the fact that he hadn't practised much with them… Moreover, he had felt nothing in his arm at all, unlike the previous times he had done an Aura Sphere. The fighting-type turned to the man standing behind him – Owen had to be responsible for this somehow.

Seeing that the fighting-type was now gazing at him, Owen trembled, looking as though he might faint. He leaned against the wall for support, occasionally staring at Lucario before quickly turning away. "You… whose Pokémon are you?" he asked, gazing blankly at the floor.

"I told you before – I'm wild."

The man finally summoned enough courage to stare at the Aura Pokémon for more than three seconds. "Wild? Not… Jack's?"

Lucario shook his head. "Not Jack's. I don't even know who that is."

"Not Phillip's? Nancy's?"

"Just how many people have been telling you that they had a Lucario?" the fighting-type asked, trying to hide his exasperation. "I'm wild! No one owns me."

He paused, looking as though he did not believe a word Lucario had said. "What do you want with me then?"

The Aura Pokémon hesitated, wondering how to broach the subject. "Okay, I know this is going to sound bizarre, but bear with me here. You had an accident, and you are currently unconscious in the hospital. This," he waved his arms around, indicating the whole mall, "is not real. I need you to accept that before I can continue."

Owen gazed at Lucario suspiciously. "What are you talking about? I was merely taking my family out for a day at the mall when you stormed in here!"

"Your family? Well then, where are they?"

"They're…" He glanced around for a moment before turning to Lucario again quickly. "Why do you ask? What do you want to do with them?"

Lucario sighed. "Listen, don't you find it strange that there's nobody else in the mall at all? And look! It's so dark in here! How does the management expect anyone to do any shopping? And see this," he pointed at the shops. "Where on Earth could you find a mall in which you get the same few stores repeating in the same order, on each floor?"

Owen looked around the place with his mouth agape, apparently only realising the true environment he was at for the first time. "But… I was… earlier… just what is this place?" His knees shook, and he slid down to the ground. The man seemed utterly frightened, his eyes wide with terror. "Where am I?"

Relieved that he had finally gotten through to Owen, Lucario ploughed on. "You are in your own mindscape. Think of it as a dream. Your physical self is currently in a ward; Cassie's been waiting for you to wake up since yesterday."

"Cassie…" Owen grasped his hair with both his hands. "But she hates me… You saw what happened…"

"That's not true, Owen!" Lucario quickly said. "That wasn't the real Cassie at all. I don't know why she attacked – perhaps you've always had a fear of her turning against you or something – but Cassie loves you! You have no idea how depressed she was when she saw you in this state!"

Owen released his grip, though he still looked miserable. "Cassie is a great Pokémon…"

"Yeah, she is…"

"She deserves much better than me…"

"What? Why would you say that?"

He did not reply; instead, he seemed to be deep in thought. "You said that I had an accident?"

Lucario nodded, studying the man's expression. "Yes… you were knocked down by a vehicle while you were trying to save a boy. Do you remember anything about it?"

"I was trying to save a boy?" Owen screwed his eyes, apparently trying to remember. "Really?"

"I'll take that as a 'no' then…" As Owen continued his attempts at recalling the accident, Lucario pondered if he should bring up the suicide note. "By the way, do you… er… remember anything else?"

Owen stared at Lucario, looking dazed. "Like what?"

"Like what you were doing on the day of the accident, or – well, anything at all, really. What's your most recent memory?"

"Recent memory…? Recent… I don't know… I can't really tell what is recent anymore…" He paused, apparently contemplating his own words before turning to Lucario with an expression of wonder. "I'm actually finding it difficult to think. Does this mean I'm really in the hospital right now?"

"Yes, Owen."

He gestured around the mall. "All this isn't real?"

"Yeah; it's all a part of your imagination."

"So you're a figment of my imagination too?"

Lucario hastily shook his head. "No, I'm very much real. As a Lucario, I am able to enter the mind of someone else, so I thought I'd come and pay you a visit. Everyone out there is worried about you – Cassie, your family… Your family was in Kanto, apparently, but they're rushing back now."

"Kanto?" he repeated, a look of sudden realisation flashing across his features. "I – I remember now…"

Surprised, Lucario asked, "What is it?"

"I… Well, they… My wife took the kids to visit her parents in Kanto."

He turned away, looking troubled. Lucario had the impression that Owen was concealing something from him, but would it be right for the Aura Pokémon to pry? "I see… do you remember anything else besides that?"

"No… nothing at all." Though Lucario did not believe him one bit, the man changed the topic before the Aura Pokémon could response. "Can I just ask though… how's my condition? Am I going to die?"

"No, I think you'll pull through." At this, Owen looked torn. His lack of happiness upon hearing the news was reason enough to make Lucario suspect that the man had indeed remembered anything, including his desire to kill himself. "By the way… do you recall the accident at all? The police are investigating the matter at the moment, so it'd be really helpful if you can tell me anything about it."

"The accident? It's a bit of a blur, to tell you the truth. I can only remember seeing a great big van swerving down the street… And… I don't know…" He scratched his head. "I didn't get a good look at the van… I couldn't really see it clearly. Can't tell you the licence plate or anything."

"Why couldn't you see it clearly? Did you at least see who the driver was?" Lucario asked, deciding not to mention that Owen had contradicted his statement about not remembering anything else.

"No, I didn't see the driver. It's a bit hard to explain… I think something obstructed my view somehow." He paused, looking confused. "Anyway, I saw that it was about to crash into the boy, so… yeah, you know what happened next. To be honest, it was as though my body moved on its own…"

So Spike was right after all, Lucario mused to himself. He acted out of instinct. However, Owen's previous statement struck the Aura Pokémon as odd. What exactly could have obstructed his view? "Well… The boy was with an Eevee at that time. Do you recall seeing her?"

"An Eevee?" Owen pondered for a moment. "No, I don't remember any Eevee. Was she… no… don't tell me… she got struck?"

"Oh, no – no, no, she's fine," Lucario hastily said. "You and the boy were the only victims in this incident."

Owen smacked his head. "The boy! I forgot to ask: how's he?"

"He's fine too," the Aura Pokémon assured. "Actually, you're the only one who is severely injured."

"But I'm going to survive?"

He nodded in affirmation. "You are going to survive."

Lucario had barely finished his sentence when Owen spoke again. "Can you do me a favour then? Get me out of the hospital pronto."

The fighting-type stared at the man in surprise. "Why? You need to be treated!"

"Look – I'm not exactly a wealthy man. I don't want my family to be burdened with my hospitalisation. Do you know how expensive the bills can get?"

"Your wellbeing is more important than money. I'm sure your family agrees."

Owen shook his head, looking extremely exasperated. "You don't understand…"

Lucario wanted to assure Owen that everything would be all right, and that there would be a way to solve this problem. Yet, if the family wasn't exactly stable financially… Could that be the reason why the man wished to kill himself?

"I'm sorry…" Owen added in a whisper. "I need some time to think alone…"

"I understand. I'll leave you alone now, but I might check on you later." He placed a paw on the man's shoulders. "Don't worry, all right? Just focus on recovering. Anything else, we can mull over later. That's what Cassie wanted me to tell you as well."

Owen nodded. "Yeah, thanks. And, uh… tell everyone out there not to worry either."

"Okay. See you later then. And please," Lucario added, "imagine a small, nice garden or something the next time I come, all right?"

With a small wave of goodbye, Lucario closed his eyes as he slowly returned his thoughts to his physical self. Like before, Cassie was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes – her face was only a couple of inches away from his.

"Whoa!" he yelled, startled.

The Charizard stepped back hastily. "Sorry – I was just concerned."

Lucario clutched his chest, panting slightly as he tried to force himself to calm down. This was the friendly Cassie after all, and not the violent one in Owen's mindscape. "It's all right… I just wasn't expecting you, that's all…"

"Are you sure it's okay for you to be doing this though? Your breathing was heavy again – I'm worried it might your affect your health. I appreciate what you're doing, but please don't do it at the expense of your wellbeing."

"I'm fine, thanks." He stood up for a stretch. "And he finally realises that he's in a coma, although I'm not sure if he'll still remember that the next time I visit him."

Her eyes lit up as she walked closer to Lucario, looking anxious. "Really? Did he mention anything about the suicide note then?"

"I'm sorry, but he did not – and neither did I ask." The Aura Pokémon folded his arms as he briefly wondered if he should have pursued the topic earlier with Owen. "He remembers the accident, so I believe he recalls the note as well. But he seemed reluctant to talk about it… and I wasn't sure if I'm in a position to enquire further…"

"I understand… but you needn't feel embarrassed about asking or anything," Cassie assured. "We're only doing this to help him, after all."

"I suppose so… But still, there are a few things which I think you should know. Firstly, he mentioned that he wanted to discharge himself from the hospital right away."

Cassie's response was immediate. "Absolutely not. Out of the question."

"Yeah, that's what I told him too. But he said something about hospital bills being expensive, and that he was not exactly wealthy…" Lucario facilitated for a second. "I might be out of line here, but Cassie… is your family having some financial difficulties right now?"

"Financial difficulties?" The dragon thought for a moment. "Yes, we're quite financially tight, but the situation's not that bad, I think… I do know that his wife has gone to Kanto partly to borrow money from her parents, but I wasn't under the impression that it's an emergency…"

The news surprised Lucario. "The trip to Kanto was for money?"

"Yes, but…" The Charizard covered her mouth with her paws, as though she just realised something. "Do you mean… Owen wanted to kill himself because of money problems?"

"I don't know for sure, but I have a feeling the situation is direr than what you expect."

"Then…" She gasped. "Is he trying to kill himself so that the family can claim his life insurance?"

"I don't know… Does he even have insurance? And do they pay out cash if it was a suicide?"

"I'm not sure – but Owen hasn't tried to kill himself yet – he's in this state because of the accident!" she cried out, panic filling her mind as her tail thumped against the floor. "Did he save the boy just so he could die without committing suicide? All for the insurance?"

"Whoa, relax, Cassie," Lucario said quickly. "I doubt that's the case. Even if he did pass away as a result of the accident, the insurance company might use the suicide note as an excuse not to give a payout. I'm sure he realises that. Besides," he added with a tone of finality, "he told me himself that he pretty much acted out of instinct when he saved Greg."

"Good. Because that's a _stupid_ plan. I don't want money – I just want him to be safe!"

"I know… Anyway, although the accident was just… an accident… we cannot rule out money problems as the cause for his desire to kill himself. Another thing which troubled me was…" He hesitated when the fire-type stared at him. "You."

It took a while before Cassie registered what Lucario said. She pointed a claw at herself in surprise. "Me?"

"You appeared in Owen's mind earlier. Initially, you attacked me – no, don't worry," he added upon seeing her look of concern, "it was all Owen's imagination, of course. He was only trying to drive me, an intruder, away. Later though, you began assaulting Owen instead."

Her mouth fell open – she looked absolutely appalled. "But why? Why would I do that?"

"I don't know either. Owen later mentioned that you were a great Pokémon, and that you deserved someone better."

"Oh no…" She sank into the armchair and sighed. "Not that again…"

"'Again'?" Lucario repeated.

"I mentioned that he was once a trainer, remember? We went on a journey around the region back then, and… not to boast or anything, but we made good progress," she said sheepishly. "We collected badges like there was no tomorrow – everything was pretty smooth-sailing, until… Well, there was a particular gym which we could never beat.

"We trained again and again, lost again and again… It seemed like there was nothing we could do to win." She rubbed her chin as she gazed blankly ahead. "I don't know… after a certain point, I guess he just lost confidence. He began blaming himself for the losing streak, attributing it to nonsense like his 'poor training regimen' or 'lousy in-battle commands'."

Cassie turned to Lucario with a small smile. "After a few more losses, he gave up altogether, and that's how we ended up here. I was more than willing to conclude our journey, because I could tell he wasn't happy anymore. But that's the problem. He thinks that by quitting, he was letting me – and the rest of the team – down."

Lucario thought back to the massive Aura Sphere he had produced in the mindscape. If Owen was indeed bothered by his losing streak, Lucario's guess was probably right – Owen might have caused the attack to manifest as he imagined Cassie losing the battle.

"I love travelling, and I love battles; I'll admit that. But I love Owen more, and I don't mind settling down at all. But he doesn't understand." The dragon clenched her fist and pounded on the side of the chair. "He thinks I'm unhappy with the quiet life. The rest of the team has already gone – does he think I'll be happier if I were like them: out there in the wild, or travelling with someone else?"

She gave a huff. "I've been telling him for ages that I'm happy as things are, but…" Cassie gave a heavy shrug. "Maybe I should just learn how to speak English."

"I see…" Lucario said. "I guess the communication barrier is a problem."

She laughed mirthlessly. "Although he might not believe me anyway, even if I could communicate with him." After a brief moment of silence, she spoke up again. "This can't be the reason for his suicide, right?"

"Oh, I doubt it," the Aura Pokémon replied as he shook his head. "But he's being weighed down by all these regrets – his past self as a bully, and his decision to quit as a trainer… Perhaps it's eating him from the inside. Add in financial woes too, and I guess it makes for a lot of accumulated stress…"

"He sure hides it well…" she said miserably. "I'm his Pokémon partner, and yet he never discusses his problems with me."

"I guess he just didn't want to worry you, although of course," he added when he saw that the Charizard was about to interrupt, "I guess it only led to more problems in the end. But these problems can be solved; we just need to take it slow. I'll drop by Owen's mind again and have another chat later."

Cassie smiled. "Thanks, Lucario. It's been hard on you."

"Not at all. Though I hope you'll keep your promise and get some rest now that I've entered his mind."

She laughed. "Fine, I will. You know, you can be as stubborn as Owen sometimes."

"Well, my friend has described me as mulish before – just yesterday, in fact," Lucario replied with a chuckle. "I suppose I'll take my leave then. Bye!"

"See you!"

_After leaving Eevee alone with Greg at the beach, I headed back to the cave. I should not have done that. Greg was involved in an accident shortly after, though he was mostly fine thanks to a passer-by who instead took most of the blow._

_A police Growlithe later revealed that the passer-by, Owen, had a suicide note in his pocket. The news was a surprise to Cassie, Owen's Charizard partner. She seemed awfully distraught, and it was clear that she shared a strong bond with her human. Hearing that the man might not make it, I decided to try my paws at aura rejuvenation._

Lucario returned to Greg's room to find that everyone was already wide awake. It was a bit of a surprise, seeing that it was still quite early in the morning. He beamed as he waved to Greg, who returned it with one of his own.

Spike tossed one of the leftover buns from the day before. "How's the guy?" he asked, his voice coming out muffled due to the fact that he was eating one at the same time.

"Still in a coma, but fine. Thanks for this," Lucario said as he ripped the packaging open. "Greg's father still not here yet?"

It was Absol who replied. "Nope. Eevee's been saying that he probably forgot about his son."

"Oh, come on…" Lucario said as he nudged the Evolution Pokémon. "Thank goodness Greg can't understand Pokémon."

Eevee was defiant, her tail standing erect. "Well, it's true. His son's in the hospital, but he did a disappearing act. Surely he doesn't need to stay in the police station all the time?"

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Lucario said simply. "All the same, it is a bit odd, I guess. In any case, we should probably wait here until he comes back."

_Aura rejuvenation is a risky move, since I could very well lose my life if I fail to control myself. Thankfully, Spike was there to help keep me in check. He is a Riolu after all, and he seems to be very knowledgeable in this matter._

_Later on, after what turned out to be some of the scariest mind-diving experiences I ever had, I managed to talk with Owen. Although I have gained a better understanding of the man, I have yet to identify the reason why he wanted to commit suicide. I will continue to talk with him until he wakes up – his story is most definitely not over yet._

_In the meantime, however, there is another important matter which demands my attention; something which I believe no one anticipated._

As the day progressed, Lucario could sense the growing worry emanating from Greg. Every once in a while, his eyes would stray to the door, as though hoping he'd finally catch sight of his father about to walk in.

When evening fell, the Aura Pokémon began to wonder if he would have to spend another night at the hospital. Eevee was looking bored, idly staring as Spike played around in the fortress of pillows which he had built. Absol, on the other hand, was curled up in the corner with his eyes closed, although Lucario knew he was not asleep.

At the sound of the doorknob turning, everyone looked up. At long last, Greg's father walked into the room, looking extremely fatigued. Still, he managed a smile as he spotted the boy, who sat up on his bed right away.

"Dad, _where_ have you been?" Greg asked, his voice a mixture of relief and indignation.

He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Sorry, Greg… something cropped up. But never mind that; how are you?"

"I'm okay," Greg said quickly before changing the subject back. "Were you at the police station the whole time?"

"I was there for a while, but no… I had something else to attend to." Mr. Cooper appeared uneasy. "I know I should be here with you, and I'm sorry, but that matter couldn't wait."

Though he did not exactly appear to be satisfied by the explanation, Greg seemed to accept it. "I suppose it couldn't be helped. But everything's been settled now, right?"

Mr. Cooper nodded. "Everything's settled. And seeing that you haven't been badly injured, we'll be able to get you out of here as soon as possible. I'm just so relieved that there's no lasting harm done."

"Yeah, and it's largely thanks to the stranger who saved me. I still haven't gone to see him."

"I dropped by his room earlier – he's still in a coma, although the doctor did mention that his condition is looking good. Maybe we can drop by when he's up."

After chatting with his son a little more, Mr. Cooper turned to the group of Pokémon and thanked them for staying the night, as well as apologising for keeping them into the evening. As the unofficial spokesperson for the team, Lucario tried his best to indicate without words that it was not a problem at all.

The group decided to stick around for a bit longer before heading back into the forest. As the sky grew dark, however, thunder began to sound just like the day before. Lucario took it as a cue to hurry back before the impending rain, but fate had other plans.

_I had thought that the troubles were over, but clearly, they were just beginning._

The door opened, and a familiar face in a police suit walked into the room. It took a few seconds for the Aura Pokémon to recognise the visitor – it was the superintendent who helped nabbed the culprit behind Ellie's murder back then. His large Arcanine companion sauntered in behind him – the fire-type paused and gaped when he spotted Lucario. It was clear that the canine recognised the fighting-type and Absol.

"It be you again!"

Before Lucario could reply, the superintendent spoke up, his eyes focused on Mr. Cooper. "My name is John Fedrow, and I am from the Ferrous City Police Department. I am not going to beat around the bush – I have a couple of news which you might find interesting."

Mr. Cooper regarded the policeman warily. "And that would be…?"

"We have identified the man who knocked down your son."

"Excellent!" barked Mr. Cooper, just as another thunder roared outside. "I trust you've got him in custody then?"

"He is with us, yes," John said, his expression stoical. "Except that he is dead."

A heavy silence fell upon the room, with all eyes either on Mr. Cooper or the superintendent. Greg sat upright on the bed, disbelief and horror etched all over his face. It was apparent that he already knew what the superintendent was going to say.

"I will not beat around the bush," the policeman repeated. "The man has been murdered, and we have reason to believe that you are the perpetrator."

**:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Next time, on _I Am Lucario_…

"_We have come all the way from Unova to do battle with you!_"

Hopefully this time it won't take so long. (I know I keep saying this)


End file.
